


Behind the Castle Walls - Part 2

by SonicoSenpai



Series: Behind the Castle Walls [2]
Category: Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Renaissance, Angst and Porn, Bath Houses, Bathing/Washing, Caning, Consensual Underage Sex, Contracts, Corporal Punishment, Demon Sex, Demonic Contracts, Discipline, Dubious Consent, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Forced Bonding, Forced Nudity, Forced Oral Sex, Forced Orgasm, Forced Servitude, Forced Submission, Guilt, Heavy Angst, Humiliation, Incubus sex, Intimidation, Lover's Quarrel, M/M, Massage, Master/Servant, Master/Slave, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mildly Dubious Consent, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Multiple Orgasms, Non-Consensual Oral Sex, Non-Consensual Spanking, Non-Consensual Touching, Nudity, Orgasm, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Pain, Painful Arousal, Painplay, Punishment, Rape/Non-con Elements, Senseless Guilt, Severe Intimidation, Shower Kissing, Showers, Singing in the Shower, Spanking, Strangers to Lovers, Taxes, Teasing, Threats of Punishment, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Underage Sex, Violence, Working Off Debt, cats in heat, communication problems, consider yourself warned, excessive teasing, heat comes to those who wait, incubus, pleasure and pain, sexual discipline, sexy spanking, strangely consensual, therapeutic writing, touga/sanga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-05-17 01:43:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 54,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14822843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicoSenpai/pseuds/SonicoSenpai
Summary: When Konoe comes of age (16 in Sisa), the tax official shows up at his home in Karou. It turns out, he owes nearly 11 years worth of taxes on his home--which has been unpaid since the death of his mother. In lieu of payment, the knights of the castle take him into custody as an indentured servant, to serve at the Lord of Ransen's palace, for a term of 15 years.At this point in the story (start with Part 1 if you're new), Konoe has just been bitten by Igaryx and is suffering severe consequences from several hours of "play" with him and Verg.Konoe will be having relationships with several characters from the Lamento Beyond the Void series in this fan-fic. I wanted to do something with castles and knights--but it's going to be a little... twisted. And some of them may possibly be acting a little out of character.I'll be adding tags as necessary. It's my usual rather nasty style, so be warned. Also, I won't be using chapter summaries--I find that they tend to be kinda spoiler-ish. Just avoid this one if you're triggered.Also, I don't own Lamento - Beyond the Void or their adorable characters. They belong to Nitro+Chiral.





	1. Chapter 1

By the time Verg brings me to the bathhouse, I’m exhausted. My body is covered in my own fluids, and I feel disgusting. My face is red and swollen from crying. Verg drops me unceremoniously in the entry of the bathhouse, hollers for Bardo, and departs, leaving me naked and trembling on the floor.

At this point, I’m too worked up to be ashamed of my nudity. All I can think about is Rai—his face, his body, his fur, his hair—all is imprinted in my brain—and I cannot clear my mind of his image. I thought I might be obsessed with the elegant silver cat before my run-in with the incubus, but that was _nothing_ compared to this. My body aroused to the point of extreme physical pain. A cramp pulls painfully from my abdomen into my groin and won’t let up. My skin feels like insects are crawling beneath it, and the mild sensation akin to an itch I felt earlier has exploded into complete chaos, leaving my nerves frayed. The fur on my tail is fluffed up nearly perpendicularly, as is the fur on my ears, but both look unkempt and spiky, like that of a porcupine, sticking together with fluid that I _hope_ is sweat but probably isn't. I can even smell my own scent, which I've been told cats aren't supposed to be able to detect. I’ve been drenched in sweat for the past endless hours as a result of the repeated, torturous activities Verg and Igaryx have forced on me, but my scent is something different than body odor. It’s got a sweet undertone, reminiscent of honey, that I’ve never noticed before. 

When Bardo makes a leisurely appearance, he doesn’t see me at first. I’m curled up on the floor, my tail swaying back and forth restlessly, the rest of my body completely still in exhaustion. I’m purring softly, but not because I'm pleased. I'm relieved to be out of Verg's dungeon, of course, but the sound coming from my throat now is just a reflex. I can’t help it. It’s probably one of the only sounds Bardo might detect from me, a mere pile of fur and fluids on the ground. Well, not the _only_ one; I’m taking short, panting breaths—it’s the only way to control my desire, make it into something halfway manageable. My heart is beating out of my chest. It’s thumping loudly in my ears, in my limbs, in the tips of my fingers and toes, my tail, and even in my dick. He could probably hear it if he listened closely. My mouth is clamped shut, for fear of what crassness will spill from me if my body is accidentally touched.

As Bardo approaches, he notices me on the ground and exclaims, “My gods, Konoe, what have they done to you? Are you all right?”

He rushes to my side, and I flinch from his touch. I know that probably hurts his feelings, but I have to protect myself.

“ _Please_ ,” I murmur, not looking up. “ _Please_ —don’t touch me.”

“But what can I do? You look a mess. You’ll feel much better once you get cleaned up, you’ll feel much more like yourself. Let me help you.”

“ _Please_ ,” I beg again, trying to speak through my panting breaths. “ _Please_. I was bitten.”

“Bitten?” Bardo voice changes. It sounds terribly suspicious. "What exactly bit you?"

“Verg’s friend—an incubus—bit me.” The words spill from my lips between gasps, and I sound absolutely obscene. I don't recognize my own voice. It's low and gravelly, perhaps from all the tears I spilled earlier.

“Shit.”Bardo doesn’t speak for a moment, but I’m grateful he doesn’t touch me. “Konoe, I know you’re in pain, but this is important. Do you know if the incubus performed a bonding ritual on you? Your bite mark would have a sigil burned in the center. Show me and I can check if you’re unsure.”

“Yes. And he bonded me to... Rai.” It might be a little odd that Bardo knows about both incubi and bonding rituals, but the thought doesn't occur to me over my brain's haziness.

“What the fucking hell? You’re too young! This is too early! Gods. You’ve not even experienced your first heat!” Bardo sounds pissed. “Hang on. I can work something out. Give me a second.” 

He walks over to grab a few towels and comes back. He carefully picks me up, touching my body over the towels, making sure none of his skin touches mine.

“The trick, as I recall—it’s been so long since I’ve seen this—is to keep your skin away from anyone else’s but your master’s. I think we can do this and still get you cleaned up. You'll feel better soon.”

He brings me to the showers, which are already running, but he turns the heat down a little and plops me under one of them.

“Can you do anything yourself?”

I look up miserably and then down in utter shame. “My symptoms get worse if I touch myself, even if it's just to scratch an itch.”

He hands me a hand towel, which he has already soaped up thoroughly. “Try this. I’ll work on you, too. We’ll get you feeling better soon enough.”

He is very gentle when soaping my skin, trying not to arouse me further, but also getting all the fluids off of me. Sometimes, hands would work better—especially in my hair and my fur—but he is able to wash and condition my hair and fur using only towels and combs. This seems to keep my symptoms from worsening. Under the warm water, I start to cool down a little in the shower. I start breathing less raggedly.

Once I rinse off the soap and conditioner, he brings me to the large pool.

“Because you look so exhausted, I’m a little nervous about letting you swim in the pool today. I don't want you to drown. How about you just sit on the steps? Move to the lowest step. The water should cover your shoulders. Just relax a while.” 

I do, and it’s heavenly. He cleans up the showers, and I realize all my bodily fluids have been washed down the drain, as though this afternoon’s torture session never even happened. Being cooled off and cleaned up allows my brain to function a little, however. To my surprise, I find tears in my eyes. How am I _ever_ going to show my face to Rai? Ever again?

I’ve realized my feelings for him are strangely powerful and confusing. I want to see him, and not _just_ because my body is in a constant state of arousal that only he can ease. While I do _not_ want to humiliate myself in front of him, it isn't because of my pride. It’s because I think  _he_ is special. I feel like I would disgrace him with my presence. I don’t know if love at first sight is _real_ , but I believe I might be suffering from just that. Having had him on my mind for the past four hours straight, and under the circumstances, I feel like my mind has tarnished the image I have of him. I feel utterly depraved.

I also feel guilty for all these new feelings engulfing my body—these sexual feelings. They are unfamiliar and more powerful than I could have ever imagined.My body hasn’t felt this way before. I _want_ to see him—my heart, my mind, my soul, and especially my body—my entire _being_ longs to be with him, yearns for his presence—but how? What am I going to do when I'm with him? I can’t show myself to him like this—not the way I am right now. Plus, I _still_ have to figure out what it is he desires of me, and then I will do it. That’s why I’m like this. I failed to meet a desire of his. 

Perhaps, after I obey his command, I will please him, and he will see I've really been a good kitty, even _despite_ the state of my body, and he will consider releasing me from my suffering. But there is a chance he _won’t_ want to. He may _not_ be pleased with me. He may be disgusted with me. (Frankly, I'm _more_ than a little disgusted with myself, so I could understand that.) Or, he may not see me in a sexual way. My thoughts terrify me. I might try my best to please him and still fail. I’m not very mature yet—he may still see me as a kitten. After all, I’ve only discovered today that cats can connect this way—with their mouths and their dicks. Yesterday, I learned about tails. I really have _no_ experience.

For a second, while I’m surrounded by the comfort of the water, the water up to my chin, I imagine what it might feel like to lower my face to Rai’s cock, unbutton his breeches and service him in _that_ way. A shock of heat runs through me like a bolt of lightning—straight into my hips—and I’m surprised to feel such a pleasurable sensation when I even think about the idea. Would I find it pleasurable in real life, though? Would _he_? He’s probably much larger than me—he’s a huge breed—so I wonder if I could even get all of him in my mouth. Is that an issue with cats who differ in stature as much as he and I do? I don’t have a clue. Maybe I’d need to use my hands as well. What would I even _do_ with my hands? I wonder if he has silver fur down there—below his navel—and if it’s as silky and soft as his hair? I can almost _hear_ lewd sounds, panting, sighs, moans, leaking from my lips, which I lick salaciously, as I imagine these details, and it feels so hot I can’t stand it. 

Then I realize I’m actually _making_  those noises, so I shut myself up right quickly. I need to think about something else.

But what if he was _pleased_ with me—if I could please Rai—and he _wanted_ to soothe my suffering? Would he pin me to the ground and take me the way Verg and Igaryx did? A tear slips down my cheek because I’d _hoped_ —in my complete inexperience—to _offer_ him that inexperience. It's all I have. Well, all I _had_. I had wanted—more than anything—to give it to him—to let _him_ be the first person to touch me like that, let _him_ be the first person to take me in that way. And now—because of Verg—the only thing I had to offer has been taken from me, _stolen_ from me, robbed from me without permission. A sense of regret and grief wash over me. I truly have _nothing_ to give him. He has everything—handsome looks, refinement, experience, elegance, kindness, that unshakable calm, and power. What do I have to offer in exchange? I'm just a cat from Karou. To my embarrassment, a few more tears slip down my cheeks, and I wipe them away impatiently. I need to think about something _else_.

I squeeze my thighs together, thinking of how sensitive they are from all Verg’s and Igaryx’s stimulation. The bite, the sigil, is still burning. But my discomfort doesn’t quell my fantasies. I wonder how that silver hair would feel draped over my lower body, brushing against my legs. What if I dared to open my eyes—what would I see? Would he _enjoy_ it? Would he enjoy making me squirm under his fingers, writhing in pleasure? Would he want to hold me down, or would he even need to? Would I simply submit to his caresses? Oh, gods—my breath catches, and just when I feel like I might pass out, I feel a gentle touch on my shoulder.

“Little one,” Bardo says. “We need to get you out of that water. You’re looking like you’re falling asleep in there, except your breath is getting crazy. Come on.”

He carefully hauls me out of the water, wrapping me in a huge fluffy towel, dragging me up the steps and onto one of the cots. I am thanking the gods for that towel. My ears are flushed from my interrupted and lurid fantasy, and my legs are quaking. At least the towel covers the evidence. He positions me face down.

“This may be a little rough on you, but there’s no way around it. I’ll move as quickly as I can,” Bardo assures me gently. I feel the soft touch of his hands rubbing a cool, minty cream into my skin—into my shoulders, neck, and back. He doesn’t skip my lower half, either—massaging my ass, thighs, legs, feet, and toes. It feels so good—but the touch immediately worsens my symptoms—my heart races, my ears ring, my dick is so hard I think it’s dripping onto the floor.

I start to beg—I need _release_ , I need him to _stop_ , I need—I want—I don’t really know _what_ I want or need.

“ _Please_ ,” my voice is small, but laced with a sticky purr, still husky and unrecognizable as my own, coming out between extraordinarily indecent-sounding sighs and gasps. “ _Please_ —I think—I think this is making me worse. _Please_. _Please_ stop.”

The sound of my voice sure doesn’t match my words of protest. My voice sounds like I’m _begging_ to be touched, begging for more. I should turn my face away in shame. Who on _earth_ would ever allow that sort of arousal to show up so obviously? 

“I’m sorry,” Bardo says, ignoring my voice and my protests, almost as though he expects it. “It’s part of the treatment required of recruits. I’m trying to move as quickly as possible, but the demons will be able to tell if I haven’t applied this. You don’t want one of them to apply it during dinner, do you? That could be traumatic. This cream also protects your skin. And you are going to need all the protection you can get. Turn over now.”

I can’t obey. I _refuse_ to obey. I’m ashamed to let him see me. I lie very still, not moving or speaking.

“Konoe, you need to let me finish. Turn over, or I will make you comply. You’re in no shape to refuse.” Bardo sighs deeply. “Even when you’re like _this_ —even when it’s become _this_ bad—that resolute rebelliousness hasn’t diminished one bit! I think _that’s_ what those devils can’t resist. That’s why they won’t leave you alone! You have to just let it go, or they may end up killing you or hurting you even more than they already have. Come now, I’m not going to hurt you.”

I still do not comply. I’m not sure I have the energy to comply, and an anguished sob leaks out of my throat.

“I can’t. I can’t move. _Please_. _Please_ help me.”

“Ah, you poor thing. If I could do more for you, I would.” Using towels to touch my body once again, he gently turns my body over, draping my hips with the towels. That, of course, doesn’t do anything to hide my arousal, but I appreciate the thought. Tears prick the corners of my eyes and slip down my cheeks.  

“How am I going to face him?” I ask, staring at the ceiling.

“Who? Rai?” Bardo asks while he rubs the lotion into my shoulders and neck, moving as quickly as he can, ignoring the racy sounds from my mouth.

“He’s so dignified and elegant. And I’m so—not _any_ of those things. Even when he _eats_ , he eats in a way that is refined. And here I am, like this, crude, wanton, disgusting—I can’t face him like this.”

“Little one, first, you’re _not_ disgusting. Where is that self-loathing even coming from? None of this is your doing. You are the way you are right now because of the incubus bite. Plus, if you _don’t_ face him, don’t you realize what sort of pain you’re in for?” Bardo asks, moving down my body. “Isn’t he your master? Isn’t he the _only_ one who can fix this? He isn’t the type to allow people to suffer. Especially not someone like you.”

“I don’t think he even _likes_ me in that way. He’s been so _kind_ to me so far. He’s treated my wounds, and he’s groomed me, but he’s never touched me in any other way. How am I going to even approach him like this? I’m drooling—my body drips with desire when I think of him. I can’t hide my feelings. I can’t imagine what will happen when I actually see him in person! I feel so ashamed of myself.”  
  
“Perhaps it isn’t my place to say so, but remember that Rai has spent many years at this castle. He is all too familiar with the tactics of the devils,” Bardo points out.

Suddenly, it occurs to me that Bardo knows the _exact_ effects of an incubus bite. I haven’t had to explain _anything_. Could it be that _Rai_ was bitten by one, maybe years ago? Was he supposed to bond with someone, or can their bites be used for another purpose, perhaps as punishment?

“Have you seen the effects of an incubus and its bite before?” I ask, almost hopefully.

“I have,” Bardo said. “But like I said, I don’t think it’s my place to share that information.”

I take what I intend to be a deep, cleansing breath, but it ends up sounding like a shaky, quivering sigh. So lewd. I feel like I will sully the great silver cat by just being in the same room with him.

“He isn’t as dignified as you think he is. At least, he hasn’t _always_ been. And he’s been waiting for you for a long time. He has been lonely. Has it occurred to you that perhaps he didn’t touch you out of respect?”

 _Respect_? No, the thought never occurred to me. I am a _slave_ here. I don’t deserve respect. Why would such a refined being _respect_ me? I wouldn’t deserve his respect even if I _weren’t_ a slave here. I’m just a simple cat from Karou, and he outranks me in status, age, and experience.

Self-loathing takes over my thoughts, darkening them, but my body still trembles with desire. What should I do?

“Let’s get you dressed. Let me choose something for you to wear. Wait here and try to rest. I have a feeling those demons are going to give you a hard time this evening. Do you feel like you can eat something? At least have something to drink.”

Bardo offers me something to drink—cool water—just what I needed for my parched throat.

“Ah, I should comb out your fur first.” He does, quickly and efficiently, before departing for the wardrobe. I wait, the towel wrapped around me, and it's still not doing its job covering my uncomfortable arousal. But I sit in a chair, a low one, so I can curl up my legs. I drink the water slowly, quenching my thirst.

I hear the door open within a few minutes—that was fast!—but it isn’t Bardo. It’s Asato. He doesn’t see me. Strangely, he isn’t dressed in his usual armor. He’s wearing a robe and wanders off to the showers. I don’t make any noise but watch silently from my chair. 

This is going to be awkward. I don’t want to have to explain anything to him, but I can't really go anywhere. I decide to remain still and quiet. He emerges from the showers after a few minutes, wearing just a towel around his neck. He has a svelte, well-built and muscular body, although his dark skin is covered in scars. The scars only serve to accent his physique, however.

It may be my heightened sexual state, but I find him rather attractive. He still hasn’t noticed me—the fountain makes a bit of gentle noise, so it covers the sound of my constant purring, and I’ve been able to get my breathing under control. 

When he enters the pool, I see a large scar on his back—stretching almost the entire length of his back—and it’s shocking. It looks incredibly painful. Did he get that here, I wonder? I can’t help a sharp intake of breath when I see it, and the sound gets his attention. He turns his head toward me in an instant, his ears flat and pupils constricted like needles. His fur remains flat, however. I feel awful—like I’ve been caught spying.

As soon as he recognizes me, though, his ears perk up, and a bright smile covers his face. His pupils dilate—rather larger than normal, I think—and he opens his mouth.

“Konoe, I didn’t even notice you there. Have you been here the whole time?”

He peers a little closer and then looks concerned.

“Are you all right? There’s something different about you.” He makes a move to leave the pool, but I hold a hand up to stop him.

“ _Please_ ,” I say. “Please, leave me be. Don’t come any closer.”

Asato’s ears droop sadly. “I wasn’t going to hurt you.”

“ _Please_ ,” I say a little more softly, “That’s not it. I’m just not… myself.”

“I can tell,” Asato says. “You smell different.” After a small pause, he says, “I’m surprised I didn’t notice you when I first came in, because you smell really, _really_ good. I mean, you always smell nice, but this is different.”

What? What is he saying? I realize Asato is out of the pool and standing within three feet of my chair. 

“Wait,” I say. “ _Please_ —don’t come any closer.”

He still looks hurt, but he continues to approach me, almost like he can’t help himself. What is going on? He was so kind before—what has gotten into him?

“ _Please_ , Asato,” I repeat, keeping my hand raised in protest.

 “Konoe—your voice,” Asato murmurs, now right in my space—thankfully he’s wrapped the towel around his waist, much good it does because I can see he’s aroused as well. He’s surprisingly well endowed—and _why_ am I even looking there, noticing _that_? “Your voice... it sounds… so nice. It makes my ears feel good. Why are you purring?”

He reaches out to my ears and brushes just the tips—ever so gently—and I flick them away from his touch. It’s too much—I'm way too sensitive. But the sounds that come out of my mouth don’t sound like a refusal. I can’t help it—I’m sighing, groaning, gasping lewdly—just from that light touch.

Asato’s ears twitch and he looks down at me sharply.

“What’s wrong? What happened to you?” He leans it toward my neck, brushing me with his nose, and I feel him sniffing me. It also pulls another lewd-sounding sigh from me—and all he’s doing is smelling me.

“ _Please_ ,” I beg. “Don’t touch…”

“You smell so different—like you’re in heat, but it’s not the season.”

In heat? What does he mean? My brain is getting fuzzy with Asato standing there in front of me with only a towel around his waist. I’m having trouble thinking again. I realize I could probably get him to do anything I asked—and he could probably alleviate some of these desperate feelings—but then, I’d only feel worse. I’d feel even worse than I feel now.

“Verg,” I say quickly. “He has a... a pet—who bit me.” I pull up the towel on my leg desperately, and Asato’s pupils suddenly blowing wide, looking almost black for a second when he sees me yanking up my towel.

But then, he drops to his knees to take a closer look.

“That’s a sigil, a _demonic_ sigil. What kind of pet?” Asato looks up at me, his pupils still attractively wide—why is that even attractive to me? I don’t understand.

“He said it was an incubus. It bit me.” My words are repetitive and forced.

I watch as Asato’s fingertips reach out to touch the mark on my leg, and for a moment, I consider allowing it. But suddenly, I remember the exponentially worse suffering I’ve had after each… activity with Verg and Igaryx, and I stop his hand, feeling electricity zapping up my arm and into my shoulder.

I gasp audibly when the shock hits me, and it sounds lewd. Again, it doesn’t _sound_ like a refusal, but I am firm with my words.

“ _Please_ , you will make it much worse. Apparently, I’ve been bonded to my master. If I seek comfort elsewhere, my suffering gets much worse. _Please_ , Asato, don’t touch me.”

“Your _master_?” Asato looks at me, startled. “You only _just_ arrived. How could they have already selected a master for you?” He sounds genuinely upset, and the pain shows in his eyes. It pulls on my heartstrings a little.

“I saw Master Leaks yesterday and apparently, from birth, it was decided I would serve here,” I say, realizing my purr is increasing in volume and my voice sounds really strange. “He said my master was decided even back then.”

“Who is your master, then?” Asato’s deep blue eyes look at me.

“It’s Rai, the silver cat.” When I say his name, my entire body shivers, and my voice lowers even more. It’s embarrassing.

“And Verg forced the incubus on you to bond with him? Does _he_ even know about this?” Asato sounds angry now. “Konoe, he is a dangerous cat. He _isn’t_ what he seems.”

“That may be, but I can’t help the way I feel now,” I say, still desperate. “So _please_ , just stay away from me. _Please_. I’m sorry.”

At that moment, Bardo opens the door, garment bag in hand. He freezes momentarily when he sees Asato kneeling before my chair, his hands within inches of my body.

“Stop, Asato!” Bardo barks. “I know he smells delicious, but you can’t. You’ll make him much worse. You don't want him to suffer on your account, do you? There isn’t anything to be done at this point.”

Asato looks down, almost guiltily, and shoves away from my chair, almost knocking it over with me in it. He turns away and stalks back to the pool, wading in, leaving his towel at the steps. 

I feel tears burning my eyes again.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Bardo hears me and responds quietly, soothingly. “It’s nothing you’ve done, nothing you’ve brought on yourself, and it can’t be helped. He will be fine. Just leave him be. Here, let’s get you dressed.”  
  
To my surprise, I have regular clothes this evening—albeit much dressier than anything I’ve worn before since we are at court: short bronze velvet breeches with silk hose, knee-high boots with a stacked heel made of the softest brown leather, the most amazing silk blouse in a soft ivory color—I still need a little help with the buttons, though my hands are almost healed. I can unbutton them just fine, but buttoning requires more coordination. I’m also given a fancy gold brocade doublet with slashed sleeves. Cut in a v-shape in the front, it shows off the blouse’s lovely fabric elegantly in the front and through the sleeves. I’ve never even touched anything so nice. To finish the look, after combing out my fur once more, Bardo places a soft brown muffin hat on top of my head. It’s trimmed with ivory plumes.

He stands me in front of the mirror, and I look like a different cat. Refined, elegant. I look like a noble—although, my cheeks are flushed, my ears are pink, and my pupils are fully dilated, making my eyes look very dark. The breeches help conceal my current… issue, much to my relief.

“The colors are perfect with your ears,” he teases.

I start to get quite nervous again, both my breath and heart rate speeding up. Asato leaves the bathing area, slipping back into his robe. I feel his eyes on me as he leaves, but he doesn’t speak to me any further. I feel terrible—but I don’t know what else I should have done. Right now, I’m really nervous about meeting Rai.

“You look good. You look refined. Delectable, in fact. I think he will be pleased to see you, so you have nothing to worry about,” Bardo encourages me. “Sometimes a little honesty goes a long way.”

Honesty? Fuck no. Bardo seems to know a lot, but there’s no _way_ I’m coming right out with it! What would I even say? "Rai, take me. I'm desperate for you." That’s crazy!

He laughs when he sees my face. “You know, little one, even if it's not what you intend, your feelings show quite obviously on your cute little face. You won’t be able to hide a thing.” 

His remark bothers me, but it also brings Rai’s face to mind once again, leaving me a mess of quivering fur—albeit a clean mess of brushed-out fur, dressed in silk, velvet, and brocade. So much for my attempt at grace and refinement!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bardo gently cleans up Konoe, indicating that he has seen incubus bites before, but usually not applied to kittens who haven't had their first heat (which, for this purpose of this story, is when Ribika go through puberty). He's more than irritated to see it used like this.
> 
> Konoe is really worried about seeing Rai--wondering what he will think of him, the mess that he is--when Bardo steps out to get an outfit for him to wear and Asato comes in for a bath. He doesn't see Konoe at first, but when he does he is rather surprised. And he is very upset when he hears he has been bonded to Rai.
> 
> Bardo tells Asato to get his hands off Konoe and helps get him dressed in real clothes this evening.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Threats of violence, threats of rape, intimidation, groping, excessive non-con teasing, and LOTS of angst in this chapter.
> 
> Just an FYI--an incubus bite might make a person act slightly unreasonable and OOC.

To my dismay, it’s Razel who comes to collect me for dinner. Like last night, he’s dressed in fine court clothing—strikingly different from Verg’s provocative, revealing style—and he seems different today. I detect an almost a childlike curiosity oozing from him when he enters the bathhouse. It’s startling, but he seems less intimidating than the devil who beat me so brutally yesterday. 

“I hear you spent some extended time with Verg,” his low voice purrs, once he lays eyes on me, still in my chair, my legs curled beneath me. He looks me up and down, taking in my outfit. “Who chose this for you.” Spoken so curtly, it’s more of an accusation than a question.

“I did,” Bardo replies, throwing the response over his shoulder. “He needed something to wear after the bath. Have him change if it isn’t to your liking, but consider, it suits his master’s taste. Isn’t that the idea?”

“Hmm,” Razel examines me, looking me up and down again. Because of the incubus bite, I can’t help feeling his eyes on me. It makes me tremble. Has he _always_ looked at me like this, and I just haven’t noticed? Perhaps I was too afraid? It’s definitely an appraising gaze, laced with sensuality. “I suppose we do need to consider his tastes. You’re familiar with them, I suppose, more so than any of us. That one has always been very guarded.”

“Trust me,” Bardo says casually. “He’ll approve.”

Though I’m standing right here, they are speaking about me in the third person. I dislike it _immensely_ , although there’s nothing I can do about it. This is what the next fifteen years of indentured servitude may be like, in all truthfulness. I bite my cheek to keep quiet, my stomach fluttering helplessly with the mention of Rai, his image now thoroughly imprinted in my mind.

Razel looks at me sharply, a smirk appearing on his lips.

“You seem quite changed. Even your scent is stronger and sweeter. Did you _like_ the incubus?”

I have no idea how to answer. I know how I’d _like_ to answer, but since this is _Razel_ , I drop my eyes to the floor and mumble a submissive reply, which comes quite naturally. “If that is what pleases my master, and you, I will do whatever is required.”

Even Bardo turns toward my direction, looking surprised.

“My, my. Don’t make me have to give credit to that yellow devil where it isn’t due, kitten,” Razel murmurs. “I know the truth in your heart, and the reason behind your response is quite obvious to me.”

I look up to the sharp tone of his voice. The meaning behind his words is lost among my distracted thoughts, but his tone still frightens me. 

“Your inexperience is working against you, isn’t it?” He continues, almost gently, a hand reaching out to stroke my ears. I want to shrink from his touch—it’s going to worsen my torment, and I don’t want to suffer anymore—but I decide to stay where I am, a desperate, pleading look in my eyes.

“ _Please_.” I can’t help the single word from escaping my mouth, especially now that my heart rate has increased yet again.

“Verg has _not_ been kind to you, has he?” The red demon’s eyes examine me closely. “You’re rather distraught, aren’t you? Really, it’s a _lovely_ look for you, quite unexpected. Come, let’s go. To your master. I’m sure you can’t wait to see him.”

Mixed feelings roil inside my very bones as I follow the demon to the dining hall. I keep a close distance, making sure not to delay or displease him. Mercifully, he doesn’t touch me—not grabbing my arm or hand, nor does he insist on carrying me. The boots allow me to walk, much to my amazement, despite the soreness of my feet. Perhaps because I’ve been on my back all day, or because of Rai’s repeated medicinal treatments, they’ve had a chance to recover. The heel height is just right—distributing my weight a little differently than usual. Could Bardo have realized when he chose them for me?

When we arrive at the dining room’s entrance, I am shocked to discover I can sense Rai’s presence inside. I can detect his wonderful (heartwarming and arousing) scent—and it truly surprises me. I look up at Razel nervously, who is watching me with a calm, leisurely expression.

“I wonder, little one, can you tell your master is inside?” Razel asks. “You had all _sorts_ of new experiences today, haven’t you?”

Faster than either my eyes or brain can process, Razel grabs me and violently pushes me up against the wall, pinning me there. My anxiety shoots through the roof when he touches my body—stroking me from the ears down to my sides—and the excessive force he uses to hold me in place scares the shit out of me and tears a small anxious sound from my throat, which comes out sounding lust-filled and longing.

“I have to confess, I’m _displeased_ with Verg for doing all those things to you _without_ my consent. He should _not_ have touched you in the way he did, and I feel I’m _owed_. I’m considering simply _taking_ what I’m owed right now— _before_ your master sees you like this.”

I swallow. I can’t be hearing this correctly. What _exactly_ does he think he is owed? And he wants to do this _here_? And now? Whatever it is, I’m sure it will make me much worse—and I do not want to do this again. If it’s what I’m thinking, it has already been taken from me so many times today without _my_ consent that I am raw and sore. I cringe at the thought. Yet, I’m still incredibly aroused, even more than I already was, all because of that damned incubus! I _have_ to get out of this situation, no matter _what_ it takes, so I raise my gaze and look at the red demon’s face.

“Wrath?” I ask.

“What was that?” Razel looks down at me, a fire lit behind his clear blue eyes.

“I mean, aren’t you the devil of _wrath_? What interest do _you_ have in simple pleasures of the flesh?” I’m maintaining all the force I can muster, looking at him directly, breathing hard and ragged, my voice completely unrecognizable, low and husky, the question asked through panting sighs.

I see a smile on Razel’s face—a _true_ smile—and then, to my shock, he actually _laughs_.

“You are _much_ more clever than you look, little one,” Razel says. “You are right—I am the devil of wrath. But _you_ —you have a unique way of turning rage and anger into action, unlike any being I’ve seen in my long life. Even now—when your body is taken over by lust—that rage seethes just beneath your skin. I can _smell_ it on you. I want to pull it from you and _devour_ it.”

His words frighten me, but I refuse to back down.

“Why don’t you just _take_ it, then? Put me out of my misery and fucking _take_ it!” The despair in my voice is obvious, my words clipped, between gasps and pants, which he is pulling from me as he strokes my body. My attitude is _not_ subservient and definitely _not_ submissive. I’ve crossed the line he clearly drew.

However...

Razel’s face lights up with a heat I haven’t seen before—is it passion? It isn’t exactly anger—at least, not _only_ anger—and I realize the risk I’ve taken in speaking so freely. I couldn’t have _helped_ it. Bardo was right: even when I’m like this—my thoughts clouded with desire, my body overtaken with lust, completely spent and exhausted—I can’t seem to let go of what I consider to be _me_. I’ll risk everything to hold it fast.

It’s a little frightening.

“You do realize what kind of torment I could force upon you, don’t you? Yet you still dare speak to me like this? I think I understand Verg’s infatuation with you. I’m intrigued.”

Am I safe? He hasn’t yet released me from his hold, and his claw caresses my cheek. He puts his mouth to my ear.

“What I wouldn’t give to drag you off to my chambers this _instant_ , to teach you a lesson in humility! I’d beat you till your lovely voice could no longer cry for mercy,” he grasps my tail suddenly, making me gasp, “caning this fluffy little tail till it stops all suggestive movement,” dropping my tail, he grabs the collar of my shirt for emphasis, “then I’d strip this excess finery from your body and take you over my knee,” he suddenly spanks my ass—hard—the sound is loud and echoes in the hallway, and I yelp, “spanking this tight little ass until your cheeks were the color of my hair,” then, palming me through my clothes, he strokes my cock gently, when it’s already painfully hard, “ _then_ I’d fuck you—taking you gently at first,” then he grabs my shaft hard, making me lose my breath and pulling a lewd-sounding moan from my mouth, “and then pounding you so hard you couldn’t walk for days, and _still_ make it the most _memorable_ night of your life. You’d be addicted to me—coming back to me again and again for more in spite of yourself, in spite of your useless pride, in spite of the punishment I’d continue to inflict on your body.”

Fear and pleasure crawl up and down my spine, sending confusing and tantalizing tingling sensations into my tail and neck— _pleasure_? What the hell is _wrong_ with me?

“However—the rules are in place for a reason.”

He drops his hands from my breeches, and my internal torment restarts—the craving for my master, the image of his face appearing in my head, along with my physical desire for him, making my ears ring, my dick strain painfully. Razel’s claw strokes my throat, then mysteriously locates the incubus bite on my thigh, hidden beneath my clothes.

“‘Using the incubus was a great idea and, while technically not against the rules itself, Verg should have realized the _payment_ for services rendered was _not_ within our agreement. He took what _wasn’t_ his. I think I will hold _you_ responsible since it’s easier to make an example of you than of him.”

“‘What? That’s unfair!” The protests fly from my mouth. That’s unreasonable! I couldn’t have stopped it! In fact, I _did_ try to escape and with all my might! “You can’t! I did everything in my power to resist!” 

“And sometimes even _that_ isn’t enough, kitten,” his voice sounds low in my ear, his wet tongue squishing loudly, making me lift up my shoulder to prevent a further assault. “It’s a hard lesson to learn and an even harder to be held accountable for, don’t you think? But still, one I’m more than  _happy_ to teach.”

The Indecent sounds from my lips assault my _own_ ears—I _hate_ being like this—I want to be able to resist his advances, but the way I am right now—I’m _so_ turned on, almost _disgustingly_ so—I can’t do anything to stop him, and it actually feels _good_. He’s meeting a temporary and urgent physical need, and I know it’s going to be much worse when it’s over. Even if I don’t climax, my body suffers even from the _touch_ of another person—any person who isn’t my master. The activity doesn’t have to _culminate_ in anything. I suffer from the touch alone.

Before yesterday, I wasn’t aware sexual arousal _could be_ a physical need. I only had a need for food, a need for water, a need for sleep, and a need for shelter. What I wouldn’t give to go back to that ignorance!

“I won’t do any teaching right now. Let’s wait and see what the night brings. I’d wager that by the end of the evening, you’ll wish you _hadn’t_ spoken to me in such a manner.”

His tone sends another shiver down my spine, and he leans down and kisses me roughly on the mouth. He leaves me no time to breathe. It occurs to me that Verg didn’t spend much time kissing me today—I think the incubus kissed my lips once—which served to make me feel like _less_ of a person, less connected to the activities they were performing on me. I was a bystander to those activities, not an active participant, that was made clear to me. When Razel kisses me, he does it in a controlling way—making me feel like I’m nothing but an object for his use. Couldn’t a kiss be something to _connect_ two people?

I’m so inexperienced, though—perhaps I don’t know anything about it. I feel small and taken advantage of—but my current condition leaves me no choice to submit.

He abruptly stops the kiss, leaving my body in terrible want, grabs my arm, and yanks me along behind him into the dining room. I stumble behind blindly, getting my bearings once we’re inside—and realizing—that _yes_ —Rai is here. My _master_ is here. My eyes scan the room.

When I lay eyes on Rai, I realize he _doesn’t know_. He has no _idea_ what has happened today. I can tell from his face. First, when I find him, he is already watching me. While I’ve been frantically searching the dining hall for him, he’s been watching me. His gaze reveals his usual calm demeanor. He is observing me closely, scanning me from head to toe.

I wonder, what does he see? He’s only three tables away, so he has surely noticed my outfit. Does he find me attractive? As I observe him, I detect small changes in his face—his nose twitches, his ears raise up and point curiously in my direction. Also, his eye changes—not just slightly, but _significantly_. The pupil dilates—darkening his eye—which changes his look entirely. He looks almost dangerous with that dark eye—the other covered by the eyepatch, the rest of his face and hair so gorgeously pale. The sudden strong contrast takes my breath away.

My body reacts to it—my body understands dilated pupils signal sexual interest and attraction—or sometimes fear and submission, but his look is _definitely_ not indicating submission. My heart races even faster, my breath becomes even more ragged, and my own eyes dilate in response.

The fur on Rai’s ears—they are smaller in size proportionally and slightly rounded, _so much_ different from mine. Actually, I find them _adorable:_ when I see them I want to stroke them, groom them, kiss them, lick them, and pet them. The fur on his ears is standing on end, making them look fuller. The ears maintain their rounded shape, only they look larger and allow me to better understand their expression—currently curiosity and interest. I see his bushy tail behind him, swishing back and forth restlessly. Usually, it is so controlled, tonight it’s restless—as soon as he sees me. I like seeing his tail move in that way, very much.

As I’m staring, I realize my purring has resumed, both loud and wet, and my tail is completely fluffed out. My ears are fluffy, too, and they feel _so_ hot—and my cheeks are flushed, but strangely, I don’t feel embarrassed. I just want to _be_ with him, be _close_ to him. I _need_ to be close to him.

I try moving toward his table—it's only natural—but Razel stops me, pulling my arm. “Tonight, you have a special request.”

“Hmm?” I hum offhandedly, completely distracted. My voice gravelly, hoarse and low, I say, “But my _master_ —he’s right _there_ , and look, he is expecting my company.”

“Not yet. Later, perhaps. But during the meal, you have a prior commitment. One of the devils would like to spend this evening getting to know you better. You met him briefly yesterday—Froud, the Devil of Joy. He’s requested your company tonight, I believe, after speaking to Verg this afternoon.”

After speaking to Verg? My head tilts up, straining away from my master, to look up at Razel questioningly. So this devil _knows_ what Verg did to me this afternoon and wants to have dinner with me?

“ _Wait_ —please,” I protest.

The sharp look in Razel’s eyes shuts my mouth in an instant.

“Surely, you weren’t thinking of _defying_ me publicly, were you?” Razel asks, his voice expectant. He leans his upper body toward me.“I wouldn’t mind, actually.”

I shrink back from Razel and back down. I bow my head contritely, but I can’t help the tears filling my eyes. I try to obey, but I can’t seem to force my feet to move away from my master.

“Sir,” I address Razel. “ _Please_ , sir.”

He seems happy with how I’ve addressed him, so I continue bravely.

“ _Please_ , I’m not sure I am able to move away from my master By that, I don’t intend to defy you. I _want_ to comply. It’s just—my body—it’s been toyed with all day. I’m going out of my mind. I’m sure you could tell yourself while we were outside.”

“Oh yes, kitten. I can _still_ smell your desperation, in fact. You smell like honey. _That_ scent shouldn’t even be upon you yet.”

I wonder what he means but I don’t ask. Instead, I risk my luck and continue.

“Please, might it be possible to sit at the same table with _both_ my master _and_  Froud? I think my body would be able to handle such an activity.” I’m shocked I’m able to speak intelligibly, making sense and solving problems with my body in its current condition. My words are coming out slightly forced, however, interspersed with ragged breaths.

“If you are unable to comply, I will physically _drag_ you there, or I might _spank_ you until you find yourself able to comply. Tell me, kitten,” Razel’s voice lowers in pitch and volume. “How do you think you think your body would respond to a bare-bottomed spanking in front of all these guests right at this moment—right _here_ —with your master’s eye watching you so closely? How do you think it would feel?”

A strangled, fearful sigh leaks out from my lips, but it is interrupted by a different sort of gasp, startling me with its suggestiveness. I shove both my hands into my mouth to prevent anything else lewd from escaping—but even Razel looks surprised. He raises his eyebrows and looks quite impressed. 

“Interesting. That’s what I thought. While it would hurt you quite a bit, don’t you think it might _please_ him to see you in such a state? Don’t you think he might _enjoy_ seeing you naked, broken, helpless, and vulnerable?”

No! He isn’t _like_ that! But part of my brain can’t help fantasizing—my master’s gaze on me, crying out in pain, would he be aroused by the sight of my body writhing in the devil’s lap? A strange logic appears in my head: If my master truly wished to see me in such a state, there’s no question. Of _course_ , I would comply. Razel watches my confusion, which is hard to detect with the desire clouding my expression.

“I would dearly _love_ to see you stripped of all this finery by the end of the evening. So why don’t you take your place by Froud’s side, as I’ve requested? If you feel you need assistance, I’ll gladly oblige.” He smiles at me, almost kindly, but I know his “kindness,” if I take it as such, means he will strip me bare and whip my ass in public. 

Tears fall from my eyes and my heart breaks when I have to turn away from my master. I throw a despairing look over my shoulder. To my surprise, Rai is _still_ watching me with a rather confused look on his face. He acknowledges my eye contact with a curt nod. It’s almost as if he is saying, “Go ahead, I understand. I’ll wait.” I’m _filled_ with relief, but it doesn’t make it easier. It physically _hurts_ to distance myself from my master.

“Are you sure I can’t at least _greet_ him? _Please_?” I beg while I’m dragging myself away from Rai and toward the table where Froud is sitting. “I could just walk over and say hello, give him a courteous greeting, let him know I’ll be seeing him after dinner? _Please_ , sir?”

“Absolutely not. Kitten, you are the _slave_. You go _where_ you are told _when_ you are told to do so,” Razel’s voice is calm and collected. He’s pleased that I’m obeying, and he’s watching that I don’t drag my feet. I keep my eyes on his hands, afraid they may come up and slap me at any time, however. I even saw him licking his lips in anticipation earlier. Or worse, he might strip me first, then give me a very severe, very public beating.

“What if my master believes I’m disobeying him? My body is the way it is now because I failed to comply with an order he had for me earlier—one I wasn’t even aware of. Perhaps if I only knew what it was, then I could quickly fulfill it, and _then_ sit down with Froud?”

Suddenly, the red demon stops in his tracks and turns toward me, and his hand shoots out and slaps my ass, _hard_. Thankfully, it’s over my clothing, but it shocks me, frightens me, and it makes a very loud sound, turning many heads in my direction. Immediately, I stop walking and drop to my knees. I’m afraid I’m making myself even _more_ vulnerable by doing this, but I do it just the same.

“I—I a-apologize, sir,” I stammer. “I didn’t mean to displease you.” I bow lowly before him, right at his feet. Anyone around us can see how contrite I am, and they can see my body shaking in what _looks_ like fear, but is actually extreme, pent-up _desire_. Surely, if he punished me publicly, after this show of remorse, he would look terribly unjust.

Tears from my lowered face drip to the floor, and I do not rise until he tells me I may. Razel realizes what I’ve done and considers that it indeed would look quite unjust if he stripped and beat me now—especially after looking so fearful, wretched, repentant, and submissive—and especially in my master’s presence. He smiles slightly.

He leans down, stroking my ears slowly and deliberately, which sends shivers through my body, and shortly afterward shudders of pain since I’ve allowed someone other than Rai to touch me again. However, Razel _continues_ stroking me, well aware he’s having this effect, doing it _deliberately_ , making me suffer.

His face is close to my ear, and he kisses it lightly. I hear a low whisper, “Nice try. Too smart for your own good, this is going to come back bite you, you realize, my dear kitten. You _intrigue_ me—these games you play truly _intrigue_ me.”

He lifts my chin, and to my horror, kisses me in front of everyone in the dining room, even in front of my _master_. Severe pain rains down on my nervous system—I don’t even have a chance to enjoy the sensations of the kiss, only the painful arousal which shudders throughout my system, urging me to reject Razel’s touch and push him away. However, I cannot reject this devil’s advances, for fear of displeasing him and then being beaten severely and publicly. I simply take what he has to give and the consequences that go with it. My sighs and gasps—formerly lewd-sounding and lust-filled—change to pained groans, as much as I try to keep my expressions neutral.

“Remember, _you_ started this little game, kitten.” He looks down at me wistfully, wild passion gleaming in his eye.

Finally, he offers me a hand up and leads me to my place at the table—which isn’t so much a place at the table, but a pillow on the floor. It’s a lovely velvet pillow for a precious _pet_ —but I’m devastated to see my clothing hasn’t made a shit of difference in my standing.

I lower myself to the pillow, kneeling submissively. There is no plate or silverware at my place, so there is probably no food for me this evening. An intense gaze crawls along my skin, and I look to my left.

“Little kitty, I’m delighted you’ve joined me for dinner this evening!” Froud is the green and black demon—I’d forgotten. Tonight, he is dressed in all black, but his bright green hair steals the show. Also, he is wearing the black mask that obscures his eyes—I don’t even see slits for his eyes, so I don’t understand how his gaze can be so intense. But it most certainly is.

“Good evening, sir,” I bow my head submissively, adding, “Thank you for your gracious invitation.” 

“Well, to tell the truth, you are just the _cutest_ thing I’ve seen at the castle in many years—in thirteen years, to be precise—and I just _have_ to get to know you a little better.” Froud’s voice is cheerful and bubbly, but it sounds contrived. Also, from where I am seated, I cannot see Rai. I believe my back is facing him, so in order to see him, I’d have to turn around in my seat completely, and that might be considered rude to the guests at the table—especially to Froud.

“I hear you will be starting sword training with Rai, so I’ll be seeing even more of you! It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” He reaches out and strokes my fluffy tail gently, and my body trembles in response. I don’t want to be rude, but I slightly shy away from it. I don’t want my agony to worsen, but I also don’t want to offend.

“In fact, I often work with Rai, though not as much as I did in the past—what lovely days those were, when he was still a young kitten in training!—since I’m in charge of the soldiers. I happen to know that he returned to the castle  _four_ _times_ today just to try to find you. Were you supposed to start training today? I’m afraid Rai was _awfully_ disappointed. I don’t know how you will _ever_ be able to make it up to him. Did something else come up that was more interesting?”

Froud’s words and tone shock me. Doesn’t he understand what it means to be a slave at this place? I shyly answer, “Actually, I was looking forward to sword training very much. I’d love to spend more time with Rai. I was terribly disappointed I couldn’t go.” Oh, fuck it all. I might as well just say what I mean. So I continue recklessly, “However, Verg informed me he had other plans. Despite trying to fight him off, he brought me to his dungeon.”

Froud laughs loudly. “His _dungeon_? You call his chambers a _dungeon_! How very descriptive! And, oh my—you tried to fight him off? _You_? Fight off _Verg_? But you’re such a _little_ thing—and I’m not sure you’ve heard, Nekochan, but Verg, he’s a _demon_. He is _much_ more powerful than you are.”

The green devil’s attitude grates on my nerves. I don’t like him making fun of me. What’s this guy the ruler of again? Something weird—whatever it is doesn’t fit with training soldiers, which is why it’s so hard for me to remember. But Razel _said_ it just now—if only my mind weren’t clouded over with these _incessant_ thoughts of—

A hand on my thigh interrupts my thoughts. Froud has leaned down and squeezed it through my breeches. It’s the one with the incubus sigil on it, and his pinky is _remarkably_ close to it, almost brushing it. Can he tell it’s there? Even the squeeze against my leg makes my breath go ragged—since I’ve been in this dining room, my arousal has gotten so much more extreme. Is it because I can smell my master now? My body knows these touches openly defy our bond. “I was _praising_ you, little one. You have a _wonderful_ fighting spirit. I find it _fascinating_. However, I just felt so _sorry_ for Rai today—he looked desolate.”

A sharp pain in my heart—a physical pain—makes an audible groan leak from my mouth. What was that? It feels like my own heart is breaking.

“D-desolate?”

“Desolate. Yes, it means he was showing or feeling misery, unhappiness or loneliness. Or, it can also mean to feel utterly wretched and unhappy.”

Again, a pang sears my chest, which Froud notices with a small smile on his face. 

“Nekochan, you are _quite attached_ to the white kitty, aren’t you? Does it pain you to think that you caused him such disappointment today?” His voice still sounds oddly cheerful.

“Yes, I do like him, very much. He’s my ma—” and then I stop myself. I don’t know what this devil knows, though Razel said he spoke with Verg. Perhaps he knows everything and is simply messing with me. If he doesn’t know I’ve been bonded to Rai, he can’t use this against me, can he? I’m unsure of what to say.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that? I wanted to ask what plans Verg had for you. He spoke to me before dinner, but I couldn’t quite believe all he had to say, so I thought I’d hear the story from you. He is such a _braggart_ and so full of himself. He seems to think you’re now a completely _submissive_ cat now.”

After taking a bite of food from his plate, Froud looks at me directly.

“From what I detect, while there are definitely some _significant_ changes in you, I _don’t_ detect submissiveness. In fact, I can smell your rebellious heart from where I sit. On the other hand, I detect a new, rather _delectable_ scent, so perhaps you might enlighten me as to what _actually_ happened with Verg.”

I notice Froud’s voice has hardened—cold and hard like ice—and although he is smiling, it’s hard to tell what he is really thinking since I can’t see his eyes. I look down at my hands, folded neatly in my lap. The _last_ thing I want to do is _talk_ about this, but if I don’t, he’ll find out about it soon enough, so why not?

“Yes, sir,” I start obediently, straightening my spine slightly. My voice is quiet but still gravelly. When I answer, his hands brush my ears, and I can’t repress a small sigh.

“You definitely respond differently to touch than you did yesterday.”

The wheels of my hazy mind start spinning, and I recall Razel’s anger about Verg taking liberties with me. Razel said he would hold _me_ responsible for Verg’s actions, but what if I told _Froud_ what happened? Would he hold _Verg_ accountable before Razel could blame me? Truthfully, this green devil seems slightly annoyed with Verg as well. Perhaps this will save me from Razel’s wrath. I certainly don’t have anything to lose. 

“Verg shook me awake and dragged me down to the dungeon.” I begin.

Smiling, Froud agrees, “It certainly _is_ a dungeon. There’s nothing refined about that devil.” 

“He didn’t care I’d already made plans, and, as you’ve heard, my efforts to fight ended in vain. Once there, I was locked inside, while Verg brought out a guest.” 

“Hou?” The demon, still taking nibbling from his plate, stops and looks in my direction. “A _guest_?”

“Yes, sir. He said the guest had been specially summoned to assist with my training. He introduced me to this creature called Igaryx.”

There’s a small pause. “Igaryx. I see.” The smile is gone.

“Apparently, Igaryx is an incubus. I’ve never seen one before, nor had I ever heard of one. With Verg’s help, he performed a forced bonding ritual on me.”

“Forced bonding? That explains it,” Froud muses. Then, rather sharply, he asks, “Without your master present? Because as I recall, your master was at sword practice this afternoon.”

“Verg had brought a piece of Rai’s clothing with him, a black cape. I know it was his.”

“You could probably smell his scent, couldn’t you, Nekochan?”

“Um, yes. So, Igaryx performed that... awful ritual on me—no one had _ever_ touched me like that, and he even bit me. Verg held me down so I couldn’t fight him off, and the incubus... helped himself to my body.” I realize I’m bothered significantly by the memory of this event, my breath shaking, my body trembling.

I hear utensils clatter noisily against the table. “All right. So Verg didn’t actually violate you himself.”

“Well, after the ritual, Verg explained how forced bonding works. If I don’t obey my master in everything, I will suffer... consequences.” I shift uncomfortably in my seat. “Only my master can alleviate my suffering if he so chooses. Immediate compliance might _help_ my symptoms, but won’t entirely eliminate them. Verg asked if I’d like to see an example. Even though I refused—”

“Ah, I understand,” the demon says. “Verg had asked me to put something into your silver kitty’s mind at a certain time today. He didn’t say for what reason, just asked me to do it as a favor for an experiment. _You_ were that experiment, it seems.”

I’m surprised. “Sir, _please_ , can you tell me what you said? _Please_ —I still haven’t been able to comply with my master’s wishes, and I’ve been suffering since!” My breath catches in my throat as I ask.

“I’ll consider it— _if_ you continue your tale truthfully and in detail. What happened after that particular time?”

“Well, I certainly started suffering—terrible symptoms.”

Black gloved hands push the plate away and placing his elbows where the plate was, the demon rests his head on his hands, tilting it in my direction. “Oy, Nekochan, you’re going to need to tell me more _details_ if you want me to share what I know.”

“Yes, sir.” Shamefully, I look down at my hands, as though they might help. “My body started to sweat, and my ears rang. My heart started racing—it was loud, beating in my ears. I got lots of saliva in my mouth that I couldn’t control, and everything I thought of reminded me of my master. I couldn’t get him out of my mind.”

“And?”

“Well, sir,” I’m blushing now, unable to look him in the eye, “I became terribly aroused and sensitive. More so than I’ve ever been. Never have I experienced anything like that. _That’s_ actually when he allowed the incubus to collect his payment.”

“And he sucked you off?” Froud asks, staring at me.

“Sucked me off?” The unfamiliar term is terribly vulgar. But yes, that, grossly descriptive, is _exactly_ what happened. “Yes, sir. He did.” 

“Did you feel relieved?” The question seems awfully personal and irrelevant. 

“I was afraid at first, and then I thought it felt good, at least—right after I... right after...”

“Right after you _came_?” He prompts me with little hesitation.

“Uh, um, yes, sir,” I say again. “Right after—that—I became aroused again almost _immediately_ , and my… arousal was exponentially severe and even painful.” 

“I suppose the devil of _pleasure_ let you rest and recover afterward?” His voice turns quiet.

“Um, no. He wanted me to learn that these feelings _couldn’t_ be taken care of by myself, nor by any other person, and that only my _master_ would be able to relieve me, and only if he chose to do so. So he got the incubus to pin me to the floor, and then he took a turn.”

“Verg took a turn?” Froud asks casually.

“Yes, sir,” I respond, and I’m ashamed, yet still aroused, even thinking about it, wondering if my master can see me. If he is watching, if he could hear what I was saying, what he would think of all of this? I’m disgusted with myself, appalled by my actions.

“Verg sucked you off? _Right_ after you’d just come?”

“Yes, sir.” I’m _really_ embarrassed to be talking about this, especially when the demon so freely uses those vulgar phrases. Is this really appropriate dinner conversation? I want to see if any other guests are eavesdropping on the conversation, but honestly, I’m not brave enough. I’m not sure I really want to know.

Suddenly, I feel an incredibly strong grip on my chin, and my face is turned toward his, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Look at me, Nekochan. How many _times_ did Verg suck you off? Was it only that _one_ time?”

“I’m not exactly sure. I lost track after—after coming the fourth time, but I think it was two or three more times after that, either six or seven times altogether. I think he did about half of them, holding me down for the other half, allowing Igaryx to force himself on me.”

“But he was present for _all_ of them?” Froud’s voice is low, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Yes, sir.” Why do I feel as though _I_ did something wrong? It wasn’t my choice. I couldn’t do anything about it!

“I don’t _believe_ it.” He drops my chin, as violently as he grabbed it.

I’m not sure what to say, so I look down guiltily. “It wasn’t what I _wanted_ , and my state worsened every time, sir. I became weaker and weaker, _unable_ to resist. I tried to fight them off, knowing I would only get worse, but I couldn’t fight them. I _only_ wanted to see my master. I _still_ —” and then I stop myself, realizing in my desperation I’ve said too much. I have tears in my eyes and in my strange, husky voice.

“What is it, little kitty?” The devil’s voice has softened into something approaching kindness.

“I _still_ would like to see my master. I am _longing_ to see him. I don’t think he knows about the bonding ritual. I want to talk to him before he notices something or he hears from someone else.” I look down in shame.

“Oh, he has _already_ noticed something is strange with you, little kitty. We _all_ did, the _moment_ you walked in. Your _scent_ , for one thing—it’s _completely_ different. Enticing. You smell fresh and sweet, like honey. There isn’t a being in this room who doesn’t want to gobble you right up like dessert.”

A strange gasp comes out of my mouth when he says these words. 

“And _that_ —that’s another difference. Your _voice_. You sound like a _different_ cat. I don’t know if it’s because you screamed and cried all afternoon, but it’s done something _incredible_ to that already _irresistible_ voice you have. Now—it’s simply _enchanting_ —especially these little gasps, sighs, and panting breaths you keep taking, trying to keep this supple little body under control.” The demon looks at me, an eager smile on his face. He frightens me. 

He hasn’t responded to my request to see my master. Should I ask again? I’m not sure. Instead, I ask another question.

“Have my answers pleased you, sir?” I might as well be direct. There’s a brief pause, during which Froud studies me.

“Why, I suppose they have, yes.” He smiles warmly.

“Do you think, sir, that you might tell me what it was that my master desired of me? Perhaps it’s something that I could do for him now, something that would please him.” My words are coming faster now. I realize I sound a little frantic, but I am desperate. I squirm uncomfortably, unable to keep my highly aroused body still. I notice my tail is swishing impatiently back and forth, fluffed out and fuzzy behind me.

“And also ease your pain at the same time, you mean? You are _beside_ yourself, aren’t you, kitty?” Froud sounds sympathetic, stroking my ears in comfort, which only serves to make me feel worse. However, I can’t afford to anger him, so I do my best tolerate his touch, keeping my head still, my ears flicking down in confusion.

“Yes, sir. I’m in terrible... want.”

Froud laughs out loud. “Is _that_ what Verg taught you to call it? It’s _pain_. Call it what it is, Nekochan! But it’s _adorable_ to hear you say that phrase in this lovely new voice of yours. I wonder—is this voice your Sanga’s voice? Has your master heard you speak yet? It’s _so_ unexpected. It reminds me of your father.”

I miss the reference to my father since Froud still hasn’t told me what Rai wants from me. That is my sole purpose at the moment. Perhaps he doesn’t want to tell me since it was something _he_ put in Rai’s mind, to begin with, or maybe it’s silly or embarrassing. So I persist, pushing my head into the hands stroking my ears, then looking up at him seductively.

“Sir, my body has _never_ felt like this. I feel like I might go crazy. I don’t mind if what you put on my master’s mind was something silly or ridiculous. I don’t care. I will do _anything_ to rid myself of these feelings. _Please_.” I move my body to a lower posture—a position of obeisance—though my tail refuses to cooperate.

I imagine Froud’s eyebrows raising when he says, “You will? _Anything_? Do you plan to _do_ what your master desired? The desire that _I_ put on his mind this afternoon? When will you do it? Right _now_? In a room filled with people enjoying their evening meal?”

“Sir, _please_ ,” prostrating myself before the devil, my head lowered to the ground at his feet, close to the end of my rope, tears spilling freely down my cheeks. “This anguish is _intolerable_. I am compelled to _try_. My master has been kind to me, but truthfully, I don’t think he thinks of me in... that way. I’m not sure I can count on him for… relief.”

The devil looks at me in surprise. “What do you mean, kitty? You don’t think he likes you in _what_ way, exactly?”

“Well, sir, in a physical way. I think I might be too immature for him, too inexperienced,” a few more tears drip down my face, quiet sobs interrupting my speech. “I don’t know him very well, but I think he’s been treating me kindly because my _father_ was kind to him.”

Froud laughs suddenly, long and hard, and when he finally finishes, he grabs my chin again, looking into my face quite seriously.

“Nekochan, when you hear what his desire is, you won’t have _any_ question about his feelings for you. However, I hesitate to tell you because—well, I don’t feel like you’re capable of making reasonable choices in your current state of mind.”

“ _Please_ , sir,” I look at him earnestly, and the devil’s face sparkles through my tears. “I will do _anything_ for you if you will simply tell me his desire.”

“Anything?” Froud is taken aback. “You are certainly _not_ in your right frame of mind. Or, perhaps Verg did a _very_ good thing with this forced bonding.”

“ _Please_ ,” I beg, sitting up again. “ _Please_ tell me. I don’t know what else I can do. I’m afraid he may not tell me if I ask.”

“Do I have to collect now, or might I collect on your promise—to do _anything_ —at a later date?” A slight chill runs through my bones when I hear that question, enough to cool the passion flowing through my body for just a moment—but not enough to make me reconsider my offer. I _need_ this. I need to know what my master _wants_ from me.

“Whatever you please, sir,” I agree, the tears still coming. “I just really need to know.”

“Well, I can hardly refuse an offer from a kitten as lush as you. However, when I tell you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“ _Please_ , I will be so grateful,” I bow at his feet once more, bringing my body as low to the floor as I can go. A small anticipatory sound comes from Froud. He sounds pleased. Then, he opens his mouth. 

“As far as your master’s desire goes, our conversation was subtle. I’m not sure what his _exact_ desire was, but I _can_ tell you what was said. Like I said, he mentioned to me that he’d like to bring you in for sword training. I offered to help, but he said he wanted to train you himself—personally. Rai often trains with recruits and spars with them, but he doesn’t usually see to their _entire_ training on his own, so I was surprised. 

“It got me thinking as to _why_ he might be interested. I jokingly said that I wouldn’t mind training you either. That earned me a sharp look since I think he _must_ have gotten the wrong idea.”

I’m watching him closely, keeping my lips pressed closed, so I won’t make any unseemly sounds as he’s talking. They keep leaking out, unbidden. I nod my head as if to say, _of course, of_ course _, that isn’t what you meant_.

“Then, as the conversation went on, I mentioned I wouldn’t mind seeing a little _more_ of you. Your master gave me another sharp look then as well, suggesting he might be slightly _possessive_ of your time. So I clarified. I said, ‘No, I _meant_ , I’d like to see a little _more_ of Konoe. He has the cutest, most compact little body I’ve seen in years. I’d love to more of his _body_ —like, _naked_ —perhaps at least as much as we saw last night at dinner.’ Your outfit was so very flattering, you see. And _that’s_ what was said at the designated time Verg had arranged.”

The words sink into my ears, and I take a moment to process them in my foggy brain. While my brain struggles to sort out his words, I don’t forget to thank the devil for his gracious care of me.

“Thank you, sir,” I say. “I’m _very_ grateful you told me.”

The demon eyes me carefully. “So, do you think you understand what this means? Do you know your master's desire?”

“Well, I don’t, but I could hazard a guess.” I get very still and start to think—well, mostly quiet, as my breaths are still ragged, and the effort for thinking so hard is causing small sighs to leak out again. I am thinking harder than I _ever_ have thought in my life. It’s so hard to think when my thoughts are clouded over with lust and desire. I try not to look over my shoulder. I can smell my master’s scent from my place on the floor, and he smells simply delicious. I open my mouth carefully, listening to words coming from my mouth, as though another cat is speaking them. 

“From what you’ve told me, at least, I think he’d wants to see me naked, or close to it, like I was yesterday, in that skimpy outfit.” I can’t believe how even and calm my strange gravelly voice is. What an odd request. Is my master really interested in seeing me naked? Now? That is something I can actually _do_ —even as a slave—and as a cat from Karou. I’m _flooded_ with relief. 

Also—wait—does this mean my master might be _interested_ in my body? Like, in a sexual way? Or he is only curious? Does he mean to check if I’m developed enough for his tastes? Is he interested in appraising me? Is that why he wants to see me nude? I’m confused. Either way, it doesn’t matter. I will definitely comply!

“If that is truly my master’s wish, I will do _anything_ in my power to fulfill it. However, I wouldn’t want to interrupt your time with me. Would you see it as an imposition?” It occurs to me that I don’t want to offend Froud since he took the time and effort to share this information with me. He is the _only_ one here who could help me—and he told me my master’s desire. Perhaps he is a truly kind devil at heart.

“See what as an imposition, Nekochan? Watching you strip and parade through the dining area?” Froud asks, prodding me gently.

“Well, you _did_ mention that it was also your desire, and if I could please you in the process of pleasing my master, that would make me very happy,” I reply shyly. I realize I really _do_ sound like a different cat. The words coming out of my mouth seem very strange, and I’m not quite sure what is so strange about them. They just don’t sound like words I’d normally say. I’ve also seemed to have captured Verg’s attention, who is sitting at our table and isn’t saying a word, only staring. I wonder how long he has been listening to this conversation.

I _hate_ Verg. But I am choosing to ignore him for now.

“No, I wouldn’t see it as an imposition at all. I would be utterly _delighted_. But—is this what you’re planning to do? Right _now_?” Froud sounds excited.

“Sir,” I explain, my voice slightly hoarse. “I am at my wits’ end. I have to do everything I can possibly do to please him. This may be a desire he doesn’t want to share with me because perhaps he thinks me too young. So thank you so much for sharing it with me.” I bow again, bringing my body as low to the ground as I can get. When I hear those strange words dripping from my lips—they sound like honey, even in my own ears, sending little shivers through my body—I think, _who the fuck is talking? What is_ happening _to me?_ “The only thing is, might I as is my master still sitting at the table behind me? I saw my master when I first came in.” I need to be _sure_ he is still here. He must be because I can still smell that wonderful scent.

“Oh yes, and he’s been watching you this _entire_ time—never _once_ taking his eyes off of you. He’s probably imagining what you look like under all that finery.”

“I want to make _sure_ it’s all right if I go to him.” I look up at the demon under my dark lashes, blinking slowly.

“It most certainly is, but _only_ if you’re nude,” he nods his head quickly, and he touches my ears lightly.

I start pulling off my boots, and the devil’s mouth drops open slightly as he watches. Verg stands up from his place at the table and walks over. “Oh, he’s going to _love_ your little gift, isn’t he?”

“Why not just leave your clothing here for later?” Froud suggests helpfully. “If you’d like, you’re free to spend the rest of the evening with your master. Your company has pleased me greatly, Nekochan. You’re _most_ entertaining, and I’m utterly _delighted_ you’ve arrived at the castle.”

The moment my stockings come off, my thick purring increases in volume and my tail fluffs up even more. My pupils fully dilate, but strangely it doesn’t help me see what I’m doing. In some ways, this—knowing Rai’s secret desire—will solve the problem of what I should say to him when I approach him. I wonder, however, what _exactly_ should I say, though? 

Almost as if he read my mind, Verg pours a glass of wine. “Perhaps he’d appreciate it if you served him a glass of wine.”

“Rai prefers catnip liquor,” I say, struggling with the buttons on my doublet.

“Nekochan is right! Here, some of this, then,” Froud pours a glass of the amber liquid. “Before you go any further, why don’t you also have a glass, to celebrate?”

“Celebrate?” I ask, confused. I look up, between the faces of the two devils, whose expressions are strangely identical. They look excited, mischievous, and filled with desire.

“Ah—I mean, celebrate the fact that you’re doing so well as our newest recruit. I didn’t get a chance to toast you myself yesterday. So, cheers—bottom’s up!” He clinks his glass of wine against my glass of liquor. “Nekochan—it’s rude to leave any in the glass, you know.” 

I obediently drink the bitter liquid in the glass, leaving the full glass for Rai, while still sitting on my pillow. I choke it down, disliking the taste, but it increases my courage. Strangely, while undressing, my painful arousal eases a little. My purr feels comfortable, and my fluffy tail looks attractive. Once I’ve drained the liquor from my glass, I remove my hat, setting it down gently next to my folded stockings. Then, I remove the doublet—it’s gorgeous, but really, it doesn’t belong on my body.

With each item of clothing that is removed, a layer between my master and me is broken down, and my heart lifts. I am _almost_ aware that I’m getting naked in a roomful of strangers, but if this is what he desires, I’ll gladly do it. It doesn’t occur to me that I’d normally never even consider something like this and that my action is the result of being bitten by an incubus. Right now, I sincerely believe I’d show up naked for every meal if that’s what would please my master. 

And then—the fact that he _wants_ to see me naked excites me. Might he perhaps be willing to alleviate some of my anguish after all? Do I dare hope for such a thing? Might this mean he likes me—in that way? My body gives another little shiver at the thought. Could he find me attractive, or could I _make_ him find me attractive? I will _become_ attractive! I’ll discover what he likes, and turn myself into that!

“Hurry along, Nekochan. I think your master is worried because he can’t see what you’re doing down there,” Froud urges.

“Ah, of course,” I’m struggling with the buttons on my shirt, but they finally come undone. Then, when it slips it off my body—it feels so nice—the silk gently brushing my skin, just how I imagine Rai’s hair will feel—and my fingers barely skim my chest when I remove the shirt from my body. A searing heat flares up within my core—I’d forgotten not even _I_ am permitted to touch myself, and now I suffer for the indulgence of enjoying those feelings. I impatiently brush away a frustrated tear before removing my final item of clothing. I don’t think I can suffer through this for much longer. Finally, I unbutton my breeches and slide them off my hips, making sure not to touch myself or enjoy the sensation of liberating my painfully aroused cock. I’ve completely disrobed while remaining seated on my pillow.

I take a deep breath before standing up, realizing I’m feeling even hotter than I was before removing my clothing. I can hardly breathe for the heat against my chest, the heat filling my lungs. My breath is ragged, and I feel faint. My breathing is audible, even gasping, especially now that my body is exposed to the free air—it feels good—and the anticipation of possibly pleasing my master is on my mind. I indulge the breeze against my skin, and instantly regret the indulgence, sighing and gasping in frustration.

Froud reaches out to caress my ears in comfort—it hurts me—and Verg stands behind me—making a barrier out of his large body, blocking Rai’s view of me for a moment—and he runs his hands down my sides. An absolutely salacious sigh comes out of me that I hardly recognize as my own, and Froud raises his eyebrows. 

“You look even _better_ naked,” he assures me. “And I see, you _have_ been suffering today. You look quite… pained.” He reaches out and boldly touches my straining—and now obscenely dripping—cock, which pulls another indecent gasp from my body, and then increases my desire for my master even more.

My fuzzy brain can think of nothing except my master, wanting to please him, and wanting to overcome any obstacle before me to do just that. I take the cup of catnip liquor in my trembling hands—they tremble with an incredible, overwhelming _desire—_ not fear, for some crazy reason, which I only later attribute to the incubus—and then attempt to cover my raging erection with my tail, which still ripples rather wildly and uncontrollably. I bring it to the front of my body, and I’m shocked by its appearance. It’s white and fuzzy—full and fluffy—almost as fluffy as Rai’s. My _master’s_ soft tail—that image only makes me harder still, and drip a little more, so I have no choice but to make my way to where Rai is sitting. 

On my way, I’m leered at, touched, brushed against, grabbed, and have my tail pulled, my ears brushed, my ass pinched and slapped, my thighs pinched—and I flush in embarrassment. Part of my brain realizes I’m naked, walking through a room of strangers. But I _need_ —I _want_ —my master, and I must have his approval at any cost. And this is what Froud said he wanted. I try to protect myself as best I can, and I manage not to spill the drink.

Once I’m within his sight, I make eye contact, and he abruptly stands up, remaining at his seat, in utter surprise. I blink my lashes slowly, looking up at his face from underneath my long lashes. I am always surprised by his height. I think he’s delighted—but it’s hard to tell because the expression on his face is so shocked. My own purring can be heard by everyone at the table, and I sigh loudly, rather lewdly, now that I’m finally within his reach.

His pupil is blown so wide that only a tiny ring of pale blue remains around the outside—reminding me of a pool of water that is infinitely deep in the center. His lashes are long and lovely—pale, but curled and lovely. How had I forgotten that his lashes were this long during the few hours we were apart? His mesmerizing hair is floating around his shoulders, shimmering and glittering in the low light. It even looks a little golden, like it did when we first met. To me, he appears to have a golden aura surrounding him, and he looks like an angel.

Now I've finally reached him—I have ignored all the looks and comments from every other cat here since I’m not doing this for them, I’m doing this for _him—_ I drop to my knees and lower my face. I raise the cup of liquor in both my hands like an offering.

“For you,” I say. “I wasn’t sure you liked wine, and we happened to have some catnip liquor at the table. I thought I’d bring you a glass.” My voice is still that same low and gravelly tone, and I don’t recognize it. I dare to lift my face because I want—no, I _need_ to see his expression.

Rai takes the glass from my hands, and I feel an electric shock when his fingers touch mine. A shiver goes up my arms all the way through my body—I’m sure he notices my response.

“You did, did you?” The sound of his voice in my ears brings me sheer delight—and I feel myself blushing and my body quivers in response to its sound. “Little one—what—what on earth has happened to you?”

“I want to _please_ you, make you happy, fulfill your desires,” I say, every bit of desperation that I’ve felt today is showing on my face and appearing in my voice—every bit of anxiety that he maybe _doesn’t_ like me this way—have I perhaps misjudged the situation? Was Froud lying to me? My confidence is wavering. “Do I—have I _displeased_ you?” I feel tears slipping down my cheeks before he can respond.

“N-not at _all_ —but where—the very idea—and your clothes...?” Rai actually sounds a little flustered, which surprises me. He lowers himself back to his seat, still oddly confused. I realize when I look behind him that Bardo is also sitting at this table, as are several other large cats, probably fellow knights, who are all staring at me as well. A few seem to shift uncomfortably in their seats, two cats lick their lips, one seems to adjust his breeches, and I notice their eyes all look a little strange as well. It must be the low light in the room that is causing their pupils to dilate like that, I'm sure.

“Froud told me he may have put an idea into your head, that you had might have a secret desire to see me—like _this_. I only want to fulfill your every wish.” My voice still sounds like another cat’s but expressing my desire to please sends pleasurable sensations through my body—so pleasurable I can hardly stand it. I feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, and even more desperate.

“Froud said that, did he? Well, I may have had such an idea, but I would _never_ have asked you to subject yourself—”

I stand up and boldly place a finger on his lips to silence him. I’m sure no one has done that to him in some years, if _ever_. Perhaps I’ve stepped out of line, taken the liberty of touching him without permission—and his lips are so soft. A little shudder runs through my body at this realization. I wonder how his lips would feel pressed against mine—or against any other part of my body? I lick my lips to stop the drool from leaking out the corners of my mouth. I may have captured his attention when I stood up, since I’m naked, uncovered, and terribly aroused, but I _certainly_ have his full attention now.

“No, you wouldn’t. You are very kind to me. _I_ want to fulfill each and every desire you have. I—I _need_ to fulfill your desires.” The frenzy in my body is starting to spill over into my voice. 

The cats around the table start making some rather interesting sounds, including cheering, whistling, hooting and hollering, but I don’t understand. The sounds frighten me a little. I’m a little surprised, and my ears flatten against my head. I feel a little confused, and I feel slightly disoriented. I try to keep my eyes focused on my master.

“I want—I _need_ to _please_ you.”

“You already _do_ please me, little one,” he brushes my ears gently—it feels _so_ good—and I feel a cape being pulled over my shoulders. He’s covered me—with _his_ cape. When I feel his hands on my ears, there’s a tingling sensation—and then a soothing feeling that runs from my inside ears directly to my anxious heart. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt. And I can’t help the rather salacious-sounding moan that comes from my lips in response.

But _why_ did he cover me? Does he not _want_ to see me? Doesn’t he want to see my body? Perhaps he doesn’t like what he sees? Have I displeased him? Have my actions displeased him? Have I—disgusted him? Anxiety fills my body as quickly as the soothing touch that followed the brush on my ears, and I hear myself stammering frantically.

“B-but I know I _haven’t_ pleased you,” I protest. I take a loud gasping breath to get my stuttering under control. “I was told I would suffer—my _body_ would suffer—until I fulfilled your every desire and command. Because I didn’t even know what that was, I’ve been suffering worsening symptoms.”

“Symptoms?” Rai looks at me strangely confused. “What _symptoms_?”

My body sways a little, and I shyly look down at my bare feet, and then longingly back up at him.

“ _Please_ ,” I say simply.

“What symptoms?” Rai asks again.

Bardo clears his throat from across the table. “Rai, look at the kitten’s right thigh.”

Pulling me in close to his body and pulling several obscene sighs from me, Rai runs his hands along my right thigh. My skin tingles with thrilling delight at his touch—completely _unlike_ what I felt when anyone else touched me—this is _so_ different. His touch feels so _right_. He is only _looking_ , I know, but anticipation builds up inside me that won’t be quenched and that I can’t quash.

“Is this a _sigil_?” Rai looks at me, my mind utterly hazy with pleasure. “Konoe.” My name! He said my name! I gasp in delight when the sound hits my ears—it’s a physical touch—the sound waves from his lips entering my ears, violating my very heart. I’m so distracted by the satisfying sensations that I can’t understand his words. He takes my face in his hands. “Did a demon do this to you?” 

“I—ah—just want to—ah— _please_ you,” I sound overly eager. “Please. I will do _anything_ you desire. _Anything_ you want. Tell me what you want and I will do it.” I watch my hands reach out to his hair, and I run my fingers through it. The strands are silken, and they slip through my fingers magically. Beautiful. “Your hair—it’s so beautiful. _You_ are so beautiful.” I can't help gazing at his face.

“I _want_ you to tell me how you got this on your leg,” Rai runs his fingers across it again, making me shudder violently—I pull his hair reflexively and gasp loudly, indecently. He doesn't even flinch. “It almost looks like a bite...” Sharply he looks up at my face again. 

“An incubus? Verg used an _incubus_? On you? Now? Why?” He can’t hide the horror in his voice, and I am _sure_ I hear displeasure. _Displeasure_. I've failed. My efforts have failed. My tail stops its wanton movement, and my ears droop, tears burn in my eyes, and I drop to my knees. I can’t stop the tears from falling. Self-loathing flows over me in waves.

“I _tried_ to refuse—I fought him off when he collected me from your room—you said you wanted to help me with sword training, but Verg, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. My struggles amounted to nothing. I was too weak and useless. I couldn’t defend myself. Then, the incubus—it was so scary—he bit me—but not until—not until after...”

Tears are falling, and I am devastated to have displeased my master. My heart is breaking to pieces—it hurts—more than any of the suffering I’ve had so far today, this is causing me pain.

“I’ve displeased you. I am sorry. I am suffering _now_ because I’ve failed to meet your desires, and now I’ve displeased you even more on top of that. I’m useless! I don’t know how to fix it. I’m sorry. Please have mercy on me—or better, punish me how you see fit. I deserve it. I don’t deserve your mercy. I deserve punishment. I am sorry. I have failed you.”

“Konoe,” Rai’s voice sounds gentle and soft. My name—spoken in his voice—it sounds like heaven, even the second time I hear it. His hands stroke my hair and my ears, and he lifts my face to his. “ _Stop this_. It would please me if you would _stop this_. You did _not_ fail. You have not _in any way_ displeased me. But I think I’d like to take this conversation elsewhere, perhaps somewhere a little more private, without an audience. Come with me.”

Wait—what? My fuzzy brain is taking too long to understand his words. Haven’t I displeased him? He wants me to go with him? Before I can blink, he lifts me in his arms, wrapping his cape around me tightly. Being in his arms, leaning against his chest, smelling his hair, surrounded by his scent—it’s a _relief_. Even if I haven’t pleased him, he can punish me however he’d like. I will be _happy_ with his punishment, as long as I can be in his presence. I can’t stop my tears.

“ _Please_ , take me with you. _Please_ , don’t leave me. You may punish me however you like, do whatever you like to me. Just— _please_ don’t leave me alone. My body—I can’t handle anymore... _want_.”

“‘Want’? Is that what Verg told you to call it? What an asshole. This is wrong,” Rai murmurs in my ear.

I can’t hold back my indecent, gasping sobs when I hear his words. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I tried my very best, and I still failed. I’m not good enough for you. I am so sorry. Please, punish me. Show me what you want, I will do it. Show me how you want me to be, and I will be that."

“No, no, that’s _not_ what I meant, silly thing,” Rai gently noses my ear, speaking softly. That voice—I've been longing for it all day. “Shush now. I already told you, I’m _not_ displeased with you. I’m _not_ going to punish you. Believe me when I say this. I’m upset with _Verg_ , not with you. When we get back upstairs, I’d like you to tell me what happened, all right? I want to hear it all, even if it’s painful.”

I try to stop my tears long enough to answer, my breath catching in my chest unevenly. Isn't he going to punish me? But it's what I deserve. “I will do my best,” I whisper.

“I know you will,” Rai says. “You please me _very_ much.” My heart soars when I hear those soft words whispered in my ear, and I gratefully press my face against his chest, inhaling his scent—his essence—with all my might, daring to believe things might actually be all right.

As he carries me from the room, he walks past Leaks, who smiles up at me quite broadly.

“Will you look at that! I was wondering what you’d look like if we forced your submission,” his voice sounds wicked. “It’s an absolutely _irresistible_ look on you. And that voice—I’m sure your master agrees.”

Rai makes a small growling sound in his chest, not even slowing his footsteps, and he walks out of the dining hall, carrying me, a shaking, sweaty mess of fur, in his arms. I feel him kiss the tip of my ear the moment we enter the hallway, and a feeling of peace shoots through my body in the same way passion and desire has been running me ragged all day. It’s such a wonderful feeling.

Relief. I feel like I can take a breath, finally. For the first time all day, I feel like I’m safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Razel comes to collect Konoe from the bath for dinner and isn't impressed with the outfit--too many layers for his taste and not nearly revealing enough. Bardo insists it's what Rai would like to see, however, so he lets it stand.
> 
> On the way to dinner, Razel pins Konoe to the wall and is upset that Verg "took" something he shouldn't have when he had Igaryx bite him. He considers taking it right then and there for himself, much to Konoe's horror (once he figures out what Razel is talking about), and he manages to talk Razel out of it by reminding him that he is the devil of wrath, not of pleasure. Razel responds with a pretty nasty threat of what he'd like to do to Konoe, which scares him, but he doesn't end up touching him.
> 
> After the incubus bite, Konoe can smell his master (Rai) even through the door, but he isn't allowed to sit with him at dinner. Also, Rai notices something is different about him but hasn't heard about the incubus yet. Instead, Konoe's time was previously committed to Froud, who is also upset with Verg. However, he starts to cheer up when he realizes he knows what it is that Rai has been wanting all afternoon--since he was the one who put it in Rai's mind, to begin with.
> 
> Konoe promises Froud anything he wants in exchange for the information, and Froud tells him basically it's to see Konoe in as revealing an outfit as yesterday, possibly even better naked. So without hesitation, Konoe, desperate to please his master at this point, strips down right there in the dining room, much to Verg's surprise and Froud's delight.
> 
> He presents himself to Rai this way, who is shocked out of his wits--and Konoe is devastated, thinking he has disappointed his master. But Rai isn't sure what is going on, and instead, wisely, wraps the kitten up in his cape and brings him to his bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: dub-con sexual activity in this chapter, due to Konoe being under the influence of an incubus bite.

Rai carries me back to his chamber and sets me down on the bed, treating me like something fragile. He wraps a blanket around me when he removes the cape from my shoulders, but I feel his nose in my hair. I think he may be smelling me, but he lingers a while longer, making me think he has lost something in my hair.

“You have a different scent than you did yesterday,” his calm voice comments. “You smell somehow warmer.” 

Immediately, I feel self-conscious, and I wonder if it displeases him. Looking up at his face—he is so close to me—I could almost reach him out and touch him with my tongue if I dared (oh gods, why would I think of doing something so bold?)—I frantically apologize for my shortcoming, if it is one, “I’m sorry, I don’t know why. Is it bad? Would you like me to bathe?” 

His eye meets mine, and I’m a little surprised to see that pupil is still so wide, so dark it’s nearly black, instead of the usual pale blue, even in the light of the chamber. His hands reach out to either side of my head, softly stroking my hair.

“It’s not a bad smell at all, little one. In fact, you smell so warm and inviting that I worry I may not be able to hear the entirety of your tale this evening.” What does _my_ scent have to do with _his_ ears? Perhaps he’s gone through some sort of change as well? Maybe his ears don’t work as well as I think they do? I do not understand his meaning, and I stupidly stare at him, while he smiles at me indulgently. “Will you tell me what happened today?” 

I’m flooded with relief—his touch alone fills my body with peace, though it doesn’t calm my beating heart or my arousal. I take a deep breath, and with him as close as he is—my master is next to me, touching my hair, he _wants_ to be close to me—I am immersed in his scent, and it calms me.

Starting at the beginning, I talk about Verg and his guest incubus. I can’t meet his gaze when I tell him about the preparations for the ritual or the bonding ritual itself. I’m too ashamed. However, I feel a soft touch to my ears when I mention these things, and I am comforted.

“I should have fought harder,” I say, pathetically. “I deserve your punishment.” I glance up at my master through dark lashes, hoping he will find it in his heart to go easy on me. Shouldn’t I be kneeling at his feet? How will he punish me? Like Razel did? The thought of him taking me over his knee sends a surprising shudder of pleasure through my body, however, and it excites me suddenly. I instantly feel guilt washing over me. 

“Master, you should punish me. I am fantasizing about the punishment I deserve, and that fantasy gives me pleasure. I’m sure this is wrong.” I look up at his face from my trembling hands and notice my whole body is trembling. I move a little closer to my master, and then suddenly think I should throw myself at his mercy.

I start to get up from the bed, and Rai stops me with a hand on my arm. “Shush now. No more talk of punishment. You’ve done nothing wrong, little one. Sit, be still. I just want to hear what happened.”

I continue with Verg’s repeated and thorough lessons on how I’m no longer in control of my body, that its physical state depends on how well my master is pleased with my obedience. Apparently, if my master has a wish even when I’m not in his presence, I will suffer until I comply. I mentioned that Verg and Igaryx demonstrated that trying “fix” my own suffering will only make it worse.

“Repeatedly?” Rai asks. “What do you mean? What exactly did they do to you?”

“I wasn’t even familiar with it until today,” Realizing I’m a little uncomfortable discussing this subject, I tell myself that it’s my _master_ who wishes to hear these things. It is his _wish_. I take a deep breath before I say, “Froud called it, ‘sucking me off.’” 

“I see,” Rai looks at me with a hard-to-read sidelong glance. “Wait—was this _my_ fault? Froud put a strange fantasy in my head early this afternoon. Was that my ‘wish,’ I wonder? Is this why you were suffering?” His voice sounds suddenly quite pained, and I can’t stand that. 

“Oh, no. It was _my_ fault, and because I wasn’t there and I wasn’t able to comply.”

“Konoe,” Rai takes my chin in his hands again. “When you say, ‘ _repeated_ lessons,’ what exactly do you mean?”

Tears filling my eyes, I feel like I’m making a confession. “I lost count after four, but I think it was close to six or seven. They took turns, and I grew too weak to fight them. Each time, my symptoms and longing grew worse, and I grew more desperate. Eventually, I didn’t fight at all. I couldn’t. I was exhausted. I am so sorry. I failed you.” A few tears slip down my cheeks. 

“Do not apologize, little one. This is _not_ your fault. It was not your doing.” Rai looks in my face again, and his expression is still impossible to read. I’m _sure_ he’s displeased, though it looks like he’s trying to keep his face neutral. I take in a deep breath to express my regret, but he stops me before I can start speaking. 

“Listen,” Rai says, looking away from me for a moment. “You need to realize that once you’ve been bitten by one of these creatures, your mind doesn’t function normally.”

I open my mouth again to apologize for my stupidity, but he stops me again.

“Wait. I know what you’re thinking. You were about to apologize again, weren’t you?” 

I’m surprised he knows what I’m about to say, and I nod my head. I open my mouth again, and he stops me with a finger to my lips. I’m sorely tempted to suck his finger into my mouth—the urge to lick his finger is so damned strong—but I manage to restrain myself. 

“Stop. Were you about to apologize for wanting to apologize, just now?”

A surprised gasp comes from my mouth, and I do actually get some words out this time, and they spill out in a frenzy.

“Does a forced bonding give you the ability to read my mind, as my master? How do you _know_ all this?” I’m truly shocked and terribly impressed—and then _terribly_ anxious. How much of my mind can he actually read? Does he know what I was thinking about when we were coming up here? Does he know how much I want to put my hands on him, how much I want to feel his hands on me—and all over my body? Does he know I want to lick him? That I’m actually thinking I might like, as Froud says, to “suck him off”? I glance at him with a slightly worried expression.

He is wearing a gentle smile. “No. I _can’t_ read your mind. However, I too was bitten by Igaryx many years ago. My training was going well, but the devils thought I needed to be, as they said, cut down to size. They thought I was getting too big for my boots, and they forced a similar ritual on me.”

“What? That’s awful,” and I really feel the words I’m saying. My vision blurs with tears. I would hate for my master to suffer. But—wait—was my master bonded to _another_ cat? A surge of jealousy singes my heart, and my body stiffens. My ears fold back, and I feel the beginnings of a growl in the back of my throat. Also, the tips of my claws are poking out—what am I doing? What is this feeling? Am I jealous? _Who_ was the other cat? I feel like I need to know.

“I was a little older than you, and it was a temporary bond—and, just like yours, it was used to control me. They are trying to control you, cut you down to size, make you submit to their rules. This is an effective tool to use, because it’s very hard to be yourself while under the influence.” I feel his hand stroking my ears again. “You look terribly upset, little one. What’s the matter?”

“Were you—“ I can’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. “Were you bonded to another cat?” I can’t keep the jealous tone from my voice. 

Rai’s eye opens wide in surprise, and it relaxes back into a smile. “Oh—no. Mine was not a bonding—it was a different type of bite and it only lasted a day. I don’t know how long the effects of your bite will last.” When he mentions it, he lifts the blankets up on my leg—dangerously close to that part of me that is so aroused that it takes my breath away—but he’s only looking at the purple mark on my leg, brushing his fingers over it, making me shiver. “Yeah, even the bite looks a little different. This looks painful."

So—whew! Not a bonding ritual. He _wasn’t_ bonded to another cat. I’m so relieved. However, I’m terribly curious. What happened? Did he just get really aroused? I look at Rai curiously, examining his face. I can’t _imagine_ it. I can’t imagine he’d behave the way I’m behaving, walking around in the dining room nude, or yearning for something the way I am, doing anything like what I’m doing. He would never lose his dignity, would he? 

“If... you weren’t bonded to another person, what sort of effects did the bite have?”

“You know, you really don’t hide your feelings very well, little one. I can _see_ the curiosity oozing out of you. How about I tell you all about it when I’m sure you’ll remember?”

I’m disappointed, since I would really like to hear about my master being really, _really_ turned on and doing inappropriate things. I find it oddly sexy. But instead of saying so directly, I ask, “You don’t think I’ll remember this?”

“I don’t. You may remember some of it, but when it wears off, it will feel like a dream to you. In my case—it felt like a nightmare—but that _isn’t_ going to happen here. We’ll turn this into a _good_ dream for you. I’ll make sure of it.” His voice sounds soft and tender—almost… sexy.

Wait. Did I just hear him correctly? I look at his eye, and it looks a little hazy.

“But why would you do that if I’ve already disappointed you so much?” My ears are drooping slightly. “I’m not sure I’d feel right about it, either.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Konoe.” He said my name again! But... what else did he say? What were those other words? I am shuddering from the sound of my name on his lips, but I can’t remember what else he said. “What’s wrong? Are you cold? You’re shivering. You must be freezing. Let me light a fire.”

“If you think that’s best,” I say rather miserably, unable to hide my fear. 

At my response, Rai smiles again. “If you feel afraid, turn toward the window, just like you did yesterday.”

“... I will do my best,” I say. I lie down on the bed, but I keep my body facing him, my eyes glued to his form. I watch as he builds up the fire, adding more wood to it, stoking the flame, and I am terrified when I see that orange blaze burning higher and higher. I’m so scared that I do consider turning away, but it physically hurts to pull away from him. I try turning just my face away while scooting closer to him on the bed, closer to where he is working, but I can’t do that either.

He glances up with a quick smile and then frowns as soon as he sees me. 

I’ve displeased him again. By the time he returns to the bed, I’ve crawled out from under the blanket, forgetting my nudity, and fall to the floor at his feet. Before he can say anything, I beg his forgiveness. 

“I’ve disappointed you again. I see it in your face. I’m so sorry. I am afraid of fire, but I can’t turn away from you, either. I don’t know what to do! I’m a complete failure. Forgive me, punish me, do something to me to make this right again!” Really, I’m hoping he _will_ drag me across his lap and spank me. I _want_ to feel his hand on my ass. I really, _really_ want it, and my feelings frighten me a little bit.

My tears dampen his tall black boots—and those are some sexy boots, hugging his shapely calves like that! I’m ashamed of this as well. “And now, I’m ruining your beautiful boots with my tears, as well. I’m so sorry,” I sniff. 

I hear a small sigh, and gentle hands come rest on my shoulders pull me onto his lap, covering me modestly with a blanket.

“You are not a disappointment and you are not a failure, little one,” stroking my ears, he speaks in a calm, patient voice. “You are not to blame for any of this.”

“I just feel so desperate I can’t even think straight!” I suddenly exclaim. Then I cover my mouth. I should _not_ have said that. I look at him, my eyes wide and surprised, terribly ashamed. My face is red, and the blush is traveling quickly to my ears.

Something seems to click in Rai’s mind, and he suddenly runs both hands over my body. “Excuse me a moment, little one.” His touch—even over the blanket—feels _so_ nice—I can’t help making a little enthusiastic noise when he touches me, especially when his hand deliberately smooths over my almost painfully aroused dick.

“Ah—I am so sorry. I thought just being with me would be enough to calm you down. But it’s apparently not that kind of bond. You are still suffering physically, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I reply in a small voice.

“Konoe,” I just love hearing my name from his mouth, “I can help you, if you wish. My wishes and desires aside, would you like me to gently alleviate your suffering, or would that make you uncomfortable? Have you already been touched too much today?” 

I try to struggle out of his arms, so I can bow at his feet and beg properly, like I should be doing for my master. Yet he keeps a tight hold, a slightly confused expression in his face. 

“Do you want me to put you down? Are you trying to get away from me? Do I frighten you?”

“No—no. I just wanted to beg at your feet,” I explain. “Please—you _haven’t_ punished me, you have _only_ showed me kindness, even though I’ve been a disappointment and failure. And now I can’t even beg properly! Please, won’t you allow me to _beg_?”

He grabs my chin, making me meet his eye. 

“Konoe, it would make me very happy if you would _stop_ assuming you are disappointing me. I’d like to set up a new rule, OK?” My ears perk up when he says the word “rule.” I can do rules. “Listen. If, by some chance, you do happen to disappoint me, I will tell you. But otherwise, you are being a _perfect_ servant to me, you are pleasing me to the utmost.”

“But...” my voice trails off.

“But what?” Rai asks.

“That can’t be true. Because my body is still suffering from terrible physical consequences of disobedience.”

“That’s probably left from Froud’s suggestion. You seem like a sensitive cat to begin with. I’ve heard the more sensitive you are, the more you suffer from symptoms, perhaps even for the entire duration of the bite, even if you submit to everything I wish. _You please me_ —very much. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t be offering to alleviate your pain.”

Oh—right. He offered to do that. Another rush of blood shivers through my body and pools at my waist. I wonder—how? Like Verg did? But since he is my master, it should be all right. I shouldn’t be afraid, should I? So, why is my body shivering like this?

“Please, please, _please_ , just... help me,” I beg quietly. And with that, I’m gently pushed back to the bed.

“You lie still. Close your eyes. Just relax.” I find his deep voice soothing—but there is something different about it now. Is he slightly out of breath?

His large slender hands slide along my sides touching my bare skin. Both his hands feel equally calloused from handling swords, which is unusual—I wonder, is he ambidextrous? My back lifts up off the bed at the intense sensations. It makes it hard for me to breathe. He’s moving from my hips upward—what is he doing? It isn’t my _chest_ that needs the most urgent attention. I’m tempted to open my eyes, but I squeeze them closed—to please him. This is his desire, after all.

His hands reach my chest, and his fingers brush my nipples. I’m shocked to find how sensitive I am. A small sigh slips out between my lips—I can’t help it—when his fingers pinch them gently, but the sound from my mouth is silenced quite abruptly.

My eyes fly open when I realize he has lowered his soft, full lips to my face, and he’s pressing his lips to mine. He is kissing me! His tongue softly explores my top and bottom lips, his teeth nipping indulgently.

A hand touches the side of my jaw, applying gentle pressure, encouraging me to open my mouth just a little, and then his tongue gently enters my mouth. It’s a shocking sensation—another small sigh escapes my mouth—he feels gentle and soft, and the texture of his tongue against mine, the wet flesh rubbing against mine, feels natural like it belongs there. 

I respond enthusiastically, returning his kiss, exploring the feel of his mouth, touching his much larger fangs with my tongue, opening my mouth even wider. I want to feel his tongue inside my mouth.

 _I want him inside me._  

This novel thought pops up in my head, just as his tongue reaches the back of my throat, making me purr. It vibrates my body, adding to my already trembling body. What is this feeling? 

I feel his hands in my hair and on the back of my neck, and he pulls me up off the bed, slightly changing the angle and deepening the kiss. I love the feeling, my body relaxing and melting in his arms—I feel _taken_ , but gently. He’s controlling, but I _want_ him to control me.

I didn’t know a kiss could feel like this. When he pulls away, I feel a deep sense of loss, and my heart continues thumping loudly in my ears, making them ring.

Keeping his hands on my nape, he straddles my waist and lowers his mouth to my ear. He licks the outside skin and then nips lightly with his teeth. I sigh, my shoulder lifting. When he sucks the tip of my ear into his mouth, I hear such a foreign, loud, almost obscenely wet sound—sending a wave of desire straight to my hips—but it embarrasses me, too, making me blush.

This touch feels so nice—it feels _good_ —unexpected, gentle, teasing, an not at all like the violence from this afternoon. Is this the same thing? Why is this so arousing? What is this?

As he pulls my ear out of his mouth slowly, I hear his rough breathing. His tongue then invades the depths of my ear, making even louder, wet, squishing sounds—and again, that strange novel thought assaults my brain.

 _I want him inside me._  

It shocks me. What am I thinking? What is wrong with me? He moves to my other ear, nibbling lightly, licking the outer shell, sucking my entire ear into his mouth and pulling it out ever so slowly, then invading inside with his tongue. The soft fur inside my ears is left trembling, damp and cool when he is finished, and so many shivers are running down the nape of my neck into my spine and tail that my entire body is shaking, and my tail lashes against the bed.

My tail is completely fluffed out, almost as fully as his. He kisses my mouth again deeply, as his fingers toy with my nipples, and his hands run down my sides. His thumbs point inward, toward my abdomen, and end up brushing my belly, making my back curve inward and press against the bed.

I inhale sharply— sucking air in through his nose while he is kissing me. He is brushing the fuzzy blond fur trailing just below my navel, and it feels like my body is reaching out to him. His long silver hair softly brushes against my chest, my face, my stomach, as he hovers over me.

Is it all right for me to touch him? I wonder. I give it a try—timidly running my hands through those silver strands, and I reach out to his adorable rounded ears. They are so _amazingly_ soft. They are even softer than they look, and his fur fluffs out when I run my fingers through it. He is permitting this touch, so I keep exploring, touching—and I indulge an urge to lick his ears.

I can almost reach, but I have to shift my body a little closer. Like he did to me, I lick the thin outer skin of his ear—they are just the right size for my tongue, it turns out—nipping just a tiny bit, grazing him with a fang just a little, careful to be gentle, and then I suck only the tip into my mouth. I intend to invade his ear with my tongue, but then, I feel a strange, damp sensation against my chest and around my nipple. Rai is licking me there. His tongue feels so rough—and he is pulling all sorts of lewd sounds from me while my mouth is at his ear. That doesn’t occur to me at first, but he keeps me right where I am, licking me repeatedly, bathing my right and then my left nipple with his tongue, all the while I’m making all these desperate sounds. I just wanted to groom his ears—to make him feel good—and I end up sighing desperately into his ears.

I feel needy—I’ve been “in want” since this afternoon—but this is different. This kind of care I have never received before, and I am really enjoying it. It’s completely different from Verg’s violent treatment, and way different from Razel’s threats and brutality. I indulge in these new feelings, while mushing my tongue into the soft small ear before me. 

My action seems to make Rai nip me—and I give a little yelp—but I don’t really dislike it—it sends a sharp jolt of pleasure through my body, much to my surprise. Even his bite feels good. Rai’s hands are wrapped behind my back and one is sliding lower still, resting on my tail. He grasps the base and massages it firmly, sending waves of strange pleasure sinking heavily into my waist and hips. And I can’t help my voice, nor can I help what my hips are doing. Again, that strange voice comes through my head.

_I want you inside me._

Totally ashamed, I realize I’ve mistakenly spoken it aloud—right into the white ear I’ve been grooming. And worse—it’s followed by all my sighs, gasping, and desperate pleas.

I know he’s understood, because the ear I’m licking perks up quite suddenly, and the silver cat shifts in my arms, pinning me to the bed. 

He meets my eyes—his pale blue eye is clouded with passion. 

“Do you know what it is you’re asking?” His voice—it’s different—it’s not the cool, calm voice I’m familiar with. It’s low and husky, growling, almost frightening.

I answer the only way I can.

“Please, _please_.”

The pupil of that eye blows wide before it narrows slightly. 

“Konoe, this is the bite talking. Let’s wait. We have all the time in the world.” 

“I just— _please_ —it’s in my mind—that phrase—it’s repeating—my body—it’s calling to you.”

A flash of heat crosses his face in another frightening wave, before he says, “We need to wait. We can take care of what you need another way.”

“But—I want it to be you. I don’t want it to be Razel, or Verg, or anybody else. They are threatening me. They frighten me.”

“When you say threaten you...” Rai stops for a moment, one hand on my tail, the other brushing my ears, pushing them down nearly flat against my head in excessive comfort. “Can you tell me what was said?”

“Razel threatened to strip me, cane my tail, spank me, then fuck me—so hard I couldn’t walk—and then do it again and again. He was angry that Verg had touched me like this, before he got a chance. I’m so scared of what they will do to me tomorrow.” 

“They won’t do _anything_ to you, because I won’t let you out of my sight,” Rai growls lowly. “Even though you may not remember this, I want your first time to be perfect and painless. If it isn’t—or if you don’t remember it—it may be traumatic. You may find you prefer other things to this sort of connection. So please—trust me. Wait. I promise to make it worth your while. Although, when you ask me like this, you are mighty tempting.” He pushes his nose against my neck for a moment.

“But master,” I ask, “Is it your desire?”

“I desire you,” Rai answers, meeting my gaze firmly. “And I desire you enough to wait till your body is ripe enough for me. I don’t want to force things before you’re ready.”

Something in my chest tightens when I hear his words, and then suddenly Rai’s hand drops from my ears, and moves down my body—and he isn’t using a soft touch. He is pressing fairly firmly—against my neck and throat, along the line of my collarbone, stroking my nipples, and then along the line of my belly and waist, and then to the fur just below my navel.

Another series of strange sounds comes out of me.

“Didn’t I tell you to close your eyes,” he whispers in a commanding tone. It isn't a question. 

Keeping one hand at the base of my tail, the other hand moves along my hip bone, tantalizingly out to each side, and then down to my cock. I have been dying for him to touch me—and when he finally does, my body melts around his hand, and I become unable to breathe. I’m confused as to why this is so different from the touches I experienced earlier today— _his_ touch makes my heart ache. I curl up slightly, but he uses his body to press me back into the bed.

I feel his body shifting to the side, and he slides next to me. I hear some rustling noises—the sound of clothing, I think, perhaps of blankets—but then, I feel his warm skin pressing against mine, and I realize he’s removed at least his shirt when his chest presses against my back, when he turns my body to my side and pulls me against him. He is so warm! A shudder runs through my body when I feel his skin against mine—like an electrical current. It meets a physical need—a _longing_ —that my heart and body have had all day.

He curls up behind me for a moment, and I can feel his cock pressing against my ass—he feels so _big_! A shudder of fear shoots through me, and I think maybe he’s right—there’s no _way_ I could take that inside me… not there—no way!—yet I _still_ want him. There’s a longing, a strange _yearning_. I want him to find some pleasure, too—what do I do? 

But before I can think too much about it, his hand wraps around me and starts to move. I feel each of his fingers, and it feels so amazing I can’t catch my breath, thinking I really might choke. When he starts stroking, my breath becomes even more ragged and difficult. His voice sounds in my ear.

“When you approached me in the dining room, I thought I was dreaming,” it sounds low and husky, and I feel something soft and silky brushing against my thigh—I reach out my hand and find his bushy tail. I take it with both of mine and stroke it gently. He shivers slightly behind me in response. “I thought I was visited by an _angel_ in the dining room tonight. You have the face, the body, and the voice of an _angel_. I find you absolutely _irresistible_. When you approached me like that—so boldly—so courageously—in front of all the other guests—I thought, by the gods, I’m going to make him  _mine_.”

Rai’s other hand still grasps my tail, and I can feel him pressing into me from behind—and he fits there so well. I feel something inside my chest, some kind of restraint, some resistance, coming loose—something is happening to me. The shivering cat behind me—is it from the touch to his tail? I bring the tip to my mouth and lick it—trying not to bite—but occasionally I do accidentally nip it. I can’t help it, since the touch on my dick is getting much harder and more intense. I’m shaking, trembling, becoming weaker, especially when his thumb presses down hard on the head of my cock—right into the slit. It makes my jaw clamp down, and it squeezes strange sounds from my throat, and my hips cant forward.

 _I want him inside me._  

I don’t care about anything else. My breath will not slow down. I sit up suddenly, keeping his tail in one hand, and I turn to face him. I lower my mouth to his lips, demanding entrance with my tongue. I straddle his waist, and my tail lashing wildly. I have to let his tail go for a moment, because I need both hands to grab hold of his hair, just to get him to kiss me harder.

I feel his hands on my hips, holding on to me while I’m perched on his belly, and I feel his cock, getting larger and harder the more deeply I kiss, the harder I pull his hair and the harder I push my ass back against him. I nip at his lips, I clash my fangs against his, I have no restraint when I pull his hair, but I do need to take a quick breath. I pull my lips away for a moment and look at his face, my body trembling.

“I need you—inside me.”

The words spill from my mouth. I’m not sure where they are coming from, but they won’t stop. The bite on my leg is throbbing to distraction.

“ _Please_ ,” I beg. “I need you inside me.” To emphasize my point, I push my hips backwards a little more, my ass now crushing his cock, and his mouth opens slightly while his eye closes gradually. 

Suddenly, he sits up. I can feel the muscles of his abdomen flexing between my thighs, and, in a single swift movement, he pushes me back down against the bed, switching our positions, and he sighs a little bit, almost in frustration, as he does this. My breath catches, a shiver shoots through my body, and one of his hands moves from my hip back to my dick, where it starts to stroke me again—hard and fast, making me moan with pleasure and curl my toes against the bed.

“You don’t know what you’re asking,” his low voice rumbles. “You are a disobedient little beast for continuing to tempt me like this.” His fangs are bared, and there’s no way that isn’t a growl I hear from his throat. “I think you should let me relieve you first and then decide if that’s what you _really_ want.” His voice is filled with passion, and the sound of it is driving me crazy.

“ _Please_ ,” I beg, and I’m panting desperately from his hard and wild stroking against my dick—it’s almost too much. He hovers over me once again.

I’m leaking thick drops of precum into his hand, which makes his touch even smoother. He kisses my lips almost chastely before lowering his face to my waist—slowly—leaving a light trail of kisses down my neck, my chest, and dipping his tongue into my navel. The thought recurs when I feel his tongue in my belly button—I want you inside me. And I’m left breathless, wanting, and I have to beg. 

“ _Please_.” 

The hand wildly jerking me off slows for a moment and parts my thighs, while he lowers his face to my throbbing cock. Is he going to put me in his mouth? Oh gods—I can’t— 

“I can’t—Rai— _please_!”

I feel his soft lips wrapping around my dick—such a smooth sensation compared to his rough hand—and when he sucks me into his mouth—I simultaneously feel his hand ever so gently spreading my cheeks and a damp finger pressing against my tight entrance, painting it with my own fluids. It’s such an odd mix of sensations—overwhelming, because the pleasure from his mouth is so intense I want to scream, but the pressure behind me is strange and foreign, and I am really afraid.

I lower my tail reflexively, but his other hand grabs the base, stroking it—hard, in the same way he was jerking me off just a moment ago—rubbing the fur backward—and an intense almost numbing pleasure runs through my waist, making me weak in the knees. My tail fluffs out with pleasure and quivers with delight, but doesn’t know what to do with itself after that.

I’m so confused—I feel my cock being sucked into his mouth and his finger entering my asshole right at the same time—and I nearly scream out loud. I don’t experience any pain, although the bite on my inner thigh is throbbing intensely, and I feel like I could climax right now. I feel like _he_ is inside me, and _I_ am inside him, and we are _connected_. But I want more—more—and even _more_. 

I don’t understand my body at all at the moment, but I indulge in these sensations, and I try to relax, but I just can’t. His tongue is pulling on the head of my dick, and then he sucks me all the way into his mouth, and my cock touches the back of his throat where I feel him purring. The vibrations tickle me—and the stimulation is enough to drive me wild.

And then strangely, the finger in my ass is moving around inside me, exploring my inner walls, and suddenly increases to two, scissoring me apart, stretching my skin slightly, and making me sigh with an unknown pleasure when a small area inside me is touched. It’s like he’s been searching for something inside of me—and he has found it. When he brushes against it—I see stars and lose power and the ability to breathe, I curl my body up almost by reflex. The pleasurable sensations from that place are almost too much. What is this? It’s different from a climax—it’s a whole _different_ sort of pleasure.

He brushes that area again, looking up at my face, which is surely flushing, confused, and slightly afraid, and he smiles.

“Did I find it?” He asks, when my dick is mostly out of his mouth, brushing that spot yet again.

“What—what is this?” My entire body shaking with pleasure. He is controlling my body with those two fingers inside my ass. 

“Close your eyes and enjoy yourself. This is what I _want_ from you,” Rai whispers. “I wish to see you _lose_ yourself in pleasure. Konoe, I want to see you _come undone_ in my arms.”

A flash like lightning shoots through my chest when I hear his words, and he takes my dick back into his mouth, sucking on me hard, fucking me with his hand, brushing that spot inside without mercy, massaging the base of my tail like he’s fucking it with his other hand, and my mind goes completely blank. My ears start to ring, and all I can hear are the wet, sexual, squishing sounds mixed with my obscene-sounding gasping and sighing, and I experience a strange falling sensation inside me.

Then—that resistance and restraint I felt earlier is completely shattered, breaking like glass—and I feel like something inside me has come undone, or like something is unraveling, and I experience a sense of slight trepidation and fear, but I close my eyes and give myself over to this silver cat between my legs—I entrust myself to him—I entrust myself to my master. I feel something like a drop of water in the bottom of my stomach—and I see a white flame—it appears right when I find my climax—and it’s a clear desire to _belong_ to Rai, to _protect_ him, to _be with_  him—and I hear a soft, tender melody. 

The melody sounds in my ears and in my bones, and it shivers through my body in wave after wave of pleasure, following or possibly accompanying my climax—and it feels _so_ good. The song—the clear melody—it’s a desire to _belong_ to this silver cat who is currently pleasuring me—to _please_ him, to _love_ him. It’s as though the song always been inside me, but something inside my heart was unlocked, was loosed, and the song comes flowing out of me. 

At first, I think I’m hallucinating—this was an _amazing_ sexual experience—because there are tendrils of light—thin, tiny tendrils of light—radiating from my body, stretching out toward Rai, touching him, curling around him with a soft, warm glow, making him look even brighter than he already is. I want to communicate these loving feelings to him, and that’s exactly what this song and that light are doing. Am I getting my feelings across? Can he hear me? 

“Konoe!” He looks surprised, actually. Does he see what I see? It looks like it, because he is reaching out as though to touch the particles of light floating around his body. I watch with amazement as he does this—it’s such a tender gesture. It lasts only a few minutes before there’s a popping sound and the light disappears and the song starts to fade. 

I sit up, coming to my senses, and ask, “Did you see the light? Could you hear the song?”

“Konoe, your voice,” Rai says. “I think you found your voice. That is the voice of the Sanga. Not only did I hear it and see it, but I felt it—in my bones. I felt its power.”

I’m amazed and excited—but suddenly, I am drained of energy. _Completely_ drained of energy. And not just like the kind of energy drain you experience after a climax—this is different. I drop to the bed and I can’t even move to get comfortable. I’m hopeless, helpless, and I realize I’m naked—and I also am starting to realize some of the more embarrassing acts I performed today—my brain is starting to function a little more normally.

“Konoe!” Rai’s voice is filled with concern. “Are you all right? Your face—you are very pale, but your ears are quite red.”

“Just—I can’t move.” Ugh—I’m so ashamed. Did I actually say those words to him out loud?

“Perhaps the song drained you of power,” Rai says. He turns me onto my side, gently, pulling my body close to his, into the little spoon position. “There, are you comfortable?”

I am, very.

“Are your arms all right?”

“I’m fine. But—what about you?” I ask. My embarrassment seems to go on pause. It’s strange—almost as though I’m two different people. Did I accidentally brush the bite on my leg, or is it just acting up on its own? In any case, I’m very concerned. I haven’t still pleased him yet. He hasn’t been satisfied, and now, I can’t even move. If he wanted, I would just lie here and let him fuck me. If that's what would please him. “I haven’t pleased you yet.” Should I let him know that's all right? That's an option on the table? I start to open my mouth, but he interrupts me.

“Konoe,” Rai says, gently brushing my ears—his hands feel cold now. “Don’t you remember what I said? I said that if anything happened that didn’t please me, I’d let you know. Otherwise, you _have_ pleased me. And in this case, I will tell you, you have pleased me very, very much. That song—your voice—that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”

A shiver from the bottom of my heart flows through my body, and I know he can feel it, too.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Thank _you_ ,” Rai whispers back, and I feel a tongue softly grooming my ear. “It sounded like you meant that song for _me_. Not for anyone else, but for me. No one has ever sung me a song before—especially not one like that. And I _heard_ you.”

Another little shudder flows through my body. It feels like there are butterflies flapping their wings in my belly. My ears twitch when I hear those words. Maybe I don't need to say anything, offer... anything else.

“Or—was it just because I made your body feel so good?” Rai whispers slyly. “If that’s all it takes, I’m sure I can make you sing again, little one.”

 Wait—no—that’s not what I meant—it felt good, but that isn’t why I was singing! I’m so embarrassed. I duck my head, but I can’t really move yet. I can’t even squirm out of his arms in protest!

“N-no,” I object. “I’m sure that isn’t what it was!” I feel my ears flushing, and he licks them right away. 

“I’m only teasing,” he whispers, still mouthing my ear and sending another shiver into my tail. “Don’t worry. I know. You, why don’t you close your eyes and sleep.”

I try to ignore the touch of his tongue on my ears when I close my eyes, but I keep hearing my own embarrassing voice echoing in my head. I still can’t believe I said the words I said. But soon, I start to relax in spite of myself. I do like to be groomed. It’s a nice sensation, after all. And I’m exhausted. And my body—ah—it feels so good. Here, in my master’s arms.

Gods. I called him my master again. Do I really believe that? Somewhere in my heart, I think I do—as that stupid bite on my thigh throbs hotly, I am able to fall asleep to the sound of his deep, contented purr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Rai's chamber again, he convinces Konoe to tell him what happened--and then his actions start to makes sense. Rai has actually also been bitten by an incubus, which bother Konoe since he must have been bonded to someone else. But this isn't the case, as it turns out. Rai's bite--when he was about 16, after going through heat--was a different kind of bite that just made him all sexually aroused and excited about everything when the devils thought he didn't deal very well with going through his first heat. And they wanted to see him humiliated. But he doesn't say much else about it.
> 
> Instead, he wonders why Konoe is not getting any better--and then he realizes that he has to actually *do* something to relieve Konoe's pain, even if he is pleased with him. Sex with Rai is very different than the violence he suffered from Verg and Igaryx--it's gentle and near consensual, and while Rai's intention is to pleasure him orally, Konoe keeps calling out to him, saying "I want you inside me," due to the bite on his leg.
> 
> Rao pauses and tells Konoe he wants to wait till Konoe goes into heat, so he won't be hurt or traumatized, and hopefully won't regret anything. He ends up sucking Konoe off, playing with his tail and his prostate a little, too.
> 
> Konoe's climax is such a relief that he actually sings for the first time--much to his (and Rai's) surprise. The experience is exhausting, however, leaving him physically vulnerable and unable to move, and he goes to sleep being groomed in Rai's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: There's a dub-con spanking here--dub-con bc of the incubus bite. Also, there's some sexy time between Rai and Konoe.

The next morning, when I wake, I’m feeling very warm—almost stifling—and exceedingly aroused. My entire body is flushed, and I feel disoriented, unaware of my surroundings, almost as though I’m in a dream.

I feel a soft, damp touch on my ears—just like last night before falling asleep—it’s Rai’s tongue—licking me, grooming me, in long strokes, and occasionally playfully nipping the tip of my ears, as though he is trying to wake me.

 _He smells so good._  

Why is does he smell so comforting? It’s making me want to do something I probably shouldn’t. 

I haven’t opened my eyes yet—I can tell it’s bright outside, and I don’t want the moon of light to disturb my well-rested self just yet. So I keep my eyes closed and turn my face towards the delightful smell. It’s a warm scent—it smells powerful and strong— _safe_. _Like home._ Like I belong here. Like something that belongs to _me_. I end up turning my whole body toward Rai’s in order to immerse myself in it.

“Ho?” A deep voice rumbles lowly in my ear. “Are you finally awake? You are one sound sleeper.”

But once I turn, the smell gets even stronger, and I bury my nose in it. It’s soft and silky. His hair. Long, thick strands—straight, soft, silky, silver hair. I bury my face in his hair—nosing around and inhaling fully.

“Oy, it’s time to get up,” Rai’s voice whispers. “We’ve got to get you started with sword training today.”

Sword training? That isn’t something I care about right now. Swords? Not relevant to my current situation. It doesn’t interest me in the slightest. I shift my body again, straddling Rai’s larger body with my legs, pinning him down against the mattress, rubbing my nose in his hair and in his neck—I just can’t help myself. This, right now—it can’t be helped. It _has_ to be done. He smells so good. I’m compelled to behave this way—I’d be able to resist and get out of bed if he didn’t smell like this.

I hear a voice—“Oy, bakaneko—oy!”

“You smell so good...” I say, my voice comes out soft and dreamy.

“Oy—” a surprisingly ragged voice comes from beneath me. “Get off me—what are you doing?”

But I can’t comply with those words. I _know_ my master, and that isn’t what he _truly_ desires. I know he needs my touch—he wants it, and I have to smell more, and then, I want to _taste_. Just a _little_ taste. I know he tastes as good as he smells! I remember from last night. I realize this is my master, and I am supposed to serve him, do as he desires, of course, and right now his words and his body are demanding two different things. So I’m going with what his body requires. Plus I can’t stop myself from just a small taste.

I stretch out my tongue to his neck and lick from his Adam’s apple to his jaw, and then from his jaw to his cheek. From his cheek, I move my tongue to his mouth. Then—I reach his soft lips.

“Oy!” Another useless protest from his lips. “Stop it. We need to get up and start training.”

Again with the training! How can he even _think_ about sword training at a time like this?

Silver hair spills around his face, framing his face perfectly. A single pale blue eye watching me with something like... uneasiness? Expectation? Concern? Worry? Whatever it is, it’s laced with emotion. I feel... almost powerful. His eye blinks slowly, and those long lashes come down in slow motion. I lean down and lick them, too, ever so softly, precisely.

“Oy!” This time a little more firmly, and I feel both his hands grabbing my shoulders.

A small protesting whine comes from my mouth just before I lower my lips to his. I want to taste him _more_. I _have_ to taste him, just a little more.

Just before our lips meet, I whisper, “Just a little taste...”

Our lips touch briefly, almost chastely, and I pull mine away. My eyes are open, my lids lowered, looking through my lashes, watching his expression. He isn’t fighting me, but he keeps his hands on my shoulders. He looks reluctant.

“Do you think I might _bite_ you? Do you _want_ me to bite you?” I smile slightly when I hear these words tumbling from my mouth.

“Oy!” A soft shocked sound comes from the cat beneath my legs, and I lower my mouth against his once again. I suck his top lip into my mouth, and then I take his bottom lip the same way, nipping just slightly. Such nice, full lips—so soft. Even if the rest of him is chiseled and firm—he has wonderfully full, plush lips.

I reach my hands into his hair and pull my fingers through it, pushing it away from his face, while I run my tongue along his teeth before inserting it into his mouth, stroking his fangs, as though daring him to bite me.

Though initially he is taken off guard by my kiss, his grip on my shoulders changes. One of his hands moves to my nape, and the other to my lower back—to my tail in fact, which I quite enjoy. Delving a little further into his mouth, my tongue brushes the back of his throat—making him purr, much to my delight. I _love_ the sound and the feel of this silver cat’s purr. It vibrates my body to my very bones—and it feels so very comforting(and maybe something _more_ than sweet, too) when I’m pressing my crotch against his body like I am.

He returns my kiss suddenly, pressing against my neck aggressively, holding the base of my tail so I can’t move. I feel his tongue exploring my mouth. I find it difficult to breathe and gasp for air. I grab onto his hair, two handfuls, and perhaps I pull a little harder than necessary, but he doesn’t let go, switching our positions, pinning me to the bed. I feel my own purr in the back of my throat, too. When he finally releases me, I take in a rush of air.

Looking up at him, his shiny silver hair sweeping against my face and chest, floating around me, and I let go of the handfuls I’ve been holding to play with the loose strands, brushing against them softly, combing them through my fingers.

“What am I going to do with you?” I watch the words form on his lips. “Such a distraction.”

My heart stops for a moment. The words sound kind and gentle—but—has my behavior actually displeased him? Much to my surprise, tears form in my eyes in an instant, and I start to struggle out his grip.

“You’re not going _anywhere_.” The silver cat says, and then he stops abruptly, examining my face. “What’s the matter? Are these tears?” His fingers caress the corner of my eye.

I look down slightly, refusing to meet his gaze.

“I’ve displeased you again.”

A small sigh is blown above me.

“Konoe.”

My name—from those lips—I have to peek at his face now—and I glance up without tilting my head, so I lift just my eyes under tear-stained lashes. 

“Gods, you are adorable!”

All at once, Rai’s lips crush mine once more, leaving me unable to breathe once again. The wet flesh of his tongue—taking my mouth like it belongs to him—like it is a part of his _own_ body—it feels natural. That strange thought appears in my head once more.

 _I want him inside me._ _I want you inside of me. I need you inside of me._

More urgent than yesterday’s thoughts, this thought has become a desire, almost a compulsion. Is it _my_ desire? Is it _his_ wish? Perhaps it _is_ his wish. But then I remember the feel of him yesterday—when he was curled up behind me, how large he is, and I feel another shock of fear—

_I need you inside of me._

And the fear diminishes little by little with every caress from his tongue. Strange sighs are coming from my mouth and nose as he kisses me, gasps that I can’t control, moans I can’t stifle. A plea? Am I pleading? Begging?

“ _Please_ ,” I hear myself say.

“Please what?” He whispers, pulling away slightly, his face right up close to mine.

Gods, I _can’t_ say it. I _shouldn’t_ say it. He told me _not_ to say it. Saying it would be direct disobedience.

“I want you inside of me. I _need_ you inside of me. _Please_.”

Shit. The words just blurt out, and I shove my hands in front of my mouth, unable to stop them. I’m far too late.

His pale blue eye sparkles when he looks at me, long lashes blinking slowly once more, the corners of his mouth lifted up in a slight smile.

“You—you are _trouble_ , aren’t you? What am I going to do with you?”

More tears gather in my eyes, and I plead again. I shouldn’t have said it, and now I’ve truly disappointed him.

“Have mercy on me, _please_!” I say, desperately. “The words—they just came out on their own! I-I’m so sorry. Punish me however you wish. I-I deserve it.”

The thought of him punishing me fills me with utter _delight_ and sends another wave of desire shooting through my body straight into my hips, making my body jolt and shudder.

“What was that?” He is currently pinning me down, lying on top of me, and his eyebrows raise in surprise. He felt it. I _know_ he felt it. “You’re fantasizing about me _punishing_ you right now, aren’t you?”

“ _Please_ ,” I whisper, dropping my gaze again, even though his face is so close to mine. _Please don’t make me say it._

“How would you have me punish you, little one?” His breath feels hot and smells sweet against my face.

“In whatever way you deem appropriate,” I say. “Whatever you think I deserved.” Another shudder runs through my body, jolting me roughly—his eyebrows raise even higher, interest piqued even further.

“What the hell was _that_? Do you actually _want_ me to punish you?” His voice lowers to a growl. “Are you thinking you would _like_ me to punish you?”

I cannot make eye contact with the beautiful silver cat hovering over me right now, but he boldly grabs my chin and forces me to meet his gaze. His face looks fascinated and terribly turned on—almost frightening so—his pupil is dilated fully, and his tail, which I see over his shoulder, lashing back and forth wildly, is even fluffier than usual.

“It is my wish—no, it is my _desire_ —to know exactly what it is you’re thinking, Konoe. Tell me, what _exactly_ would you like me to do?”

My eyes fill with tears once again, and I’m not sure I can actually say it, but I swallow and clear my throat lightly.

“I have not been a good servant to you, as I have been unable to fulfill your wishes and I have been disobedient. Therefore, I deserve your punishment.” I am unable to continue at my current volume, so I drop my voice to a near-whisper. “You should probably... take me over your knee.”

“Oh, ho,” Rai answers, a hint of mischief in his voice. “Do you think a hand-spanking would suffice for this infarction, little one?”

“I’m _sure_ it would teach me my place,” I say very quietly.

“Well, then,” Rai says, very matter of factly. “I mustn’t delay.” He sits up on the side of the bed. “Konoe, come.”

A sudden chill runs through my shoulders at sudden the shift in his voice and demeanor—plus he said my name _again_. I hop down from the bed and kneel at his feet.

I notice he is dressed only in his underwear, while I am completely naked, and my ears fill with blood. He is completely turned on—I can see with my own eyes. He is such an amazing looking cat—so attractive. What is he _doing_ here with someone like me? I just can’t understand it!

“Konoe, do you remember when I told you we would wait for the appropriate time for certain activities—till your body was ripe and ready—and until then, you were _not_ to tempt me further?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you feel like you are doing well, obeying me, in that regard?” 

“Um...” I don’t know how to answer and I look away, but as soon as I turn my face away, I feel his fingers on my chin, turning it back to his face, forcing eye contact.

“Let me put this another way. Little one, if I asked you to wait, and then phrases such as ‘I need you inside me,’ spill out of your mouth only the next morning, would _you_ call that waiting patiently?”

“Um, probably not.”

“ _Probably_ not? I would say most _definitely_ not! You are _deliberately_ tempting me, despite my request to temper your desire. I am _happy_ to care for your needs. But for that _one_ activity, I want you to _wait_ until your first heat. Do you understand?”

“My first heat? I don’t really understand.” There’s a short pause, during which Rai examines my face with an almost puzzled expression.

“What do you mean, little one? What don’t you understand?”

“I mean, I don’t know what it means to go into heat. When will I know I’m in heat? I feel very, very hot right now. So maybe it’s okay to say phrases like, ‘I want you inside me,’ for example.” 

“Oy! You just said it again! Is this _deliberate_ disobedience? And no, you’re _not_ in heat yet. The season doesn’t start for another week or so. You’ll definitely know when you’re in heat.” Rai blows a frustrated sigh.

“But, what if I don’t want to wait that long?”

I realize I’m rubbing my body against my master’s leg—rather lewdly. It’s unbecoming, I know, but I can’t help it.

“Oy, little one, calm down. You need to get yourself under control!”

“ _Please_ ,” I beg. “Can’t we just... for a little while?”

“Enough! Come here,” Rai growls. “Up over my lap.”

My ears flatten a little when I hear him growl. He is scarier than I expected him to be. I thought he might just tease me a little. I didn’t expect him to actually be intimidating or anything. Even his fur is bristling a little, and his fangs are poking out over his lips.

“You are scaring me,” I say softly.

“That’s the idea, isn’t it?” Rai snarls. “Come on, get up here.”

He doesn’t wait for me to comply but simply pulls me across his thighs, resting my upper body on the bed, letting my legs dangle off his lap. My dick is pressed against him, and he starts stroking my tail with _both_ his hands—one right after the other—and it’s completely taking my breath away. It feels so _good_ —and I’m making rather obscene sighing sounds all the while. He’s pulling my tail away from his body—hand over hand—in smooth motions, using a firm touch. My fur fluffs out in delight and I arch my back, his touch sending shivers down my tail into my spine, which makes pleasure pool strangely in my hips.

I push my face into the mattress, trying to suppress the sounds coming out of my mouth, but even the mattress won’t stifle the noise I’m making. His hands feel so _good_!

“You have such a gorgeous tail—your fur is pretty and lush—so full—and the tip of your tail—” he pinches the hooked tip lightly between his fingers, which sends a pleasurable zinging sensation down my spine and pulls a loud gasp from my mouth, “I’ve never seen a tail like yours. It’s so expressive. If I want to know what you’re thinking, I just look at your tail, and it gives away your true feelings. Right now, you're thinking...” 

He leans down and whispers directly in my ear, “I wonder how much this spanking is going to _hurt_ , and I wonder how much is going to feel _good_? Was it _worth_ it, provoking him? I sure _want_ it to feel good—I sure _hope_ it feels good!” He follows the whisper with a sound lick to my ear, as well, sending another shiver down my nape and back.

Then his hand cups my ass, and it feels me up, as though exploring my shape. I squirm against his lap, terribly self-conscious—a furious heat rising to my face and ears.

“Your skin is so smooth,” Rai marvels, “It heals quickly, too, despite how much Razel and Leaks worked you over. I see why they couldn’t resist, however. You have the perfectly shaped ass for this sort of punishment, don’t you?”

HIs voice isn’t the same—he doesn’t have the same calm and cool tone as usual. It’s laced with something else—passion, desire, heat—and the wish to be in control. He can cup one entire cheek in one of his palms, and he cradles one for a moment, feeling around my sit spot, caressing me gently with the tips of his fingers, slipping up between my cheeks, sliding between my thighs, making me spread my legs for him, driving me utterly crazy. The feelings pooling in my waist are causing an almost painful pulling sensation in my stomach.

I am trying to be still, but in reality, my hips grind against him, despite my efforts to maintain control of my body. I’m grinding my stiff cock against his lap in desperation. I hear something like begging in the air, and it takes a moment to realize the sound is falling from _my_ lips—quietly, but nonetheless, I’m _begging_.

“Please, please, _please_...”

“Are you begging me, little one? Your voice is so quiet, I don’t know what it is you want.”

“Rai— _please_ —I want—“

“What is it you want?”

As those fingers slip softly between my cheeks, just like they did yesterday, my toes curl up in pleasure. Then suddenly, his hand pulls back and slaps my ass, a perfect hit, right on my sit spot, causing an intense stinging sensation to spread across my cheeks and down my thighs.

I cry out—but he keeps his hand on my ass after the blow and actually pushes me against his lap, grinding my hips against him, which brings sudden and intense pleasure to my cock. He also strokes the skin he just hit with his fingertips, sending sweet caressing sensations to the area that was just struck, confusing the feelings of pleasure and pain.

My hands, however, still fly up from the bed, trying to protect myself, but he catches them easily, holding them with his other hand, pinning them to my lower back and also gripping the base of my tail—which he starts to stroke hard—making me lose my breath again. Then he spanks me again—another single slap to the center of my cheeks—which he then holds in place and pushes against his lap, grinding my body against his, making me moan with pleasure.

Before the next slap, he takes the tip of my tail and pops it in his mouth—so he’s stroking my tail hard, sucking on the tip of my tail, and _then_ slaps me on the ass—and then grinds my body hard against his lap—and I can feel his dick getting harder, pressing up against my body.

I forget to cry out when he spanks me this time, and instead, a desperate gasping moan comes out of my mouth instead of a cry of pain. I’m truly confused by these sensations, and I don’t know what to do.

My feet barely touch the floor, and I feel helpless when he spanks my sit spot again. This time, however, he pulls my tail—hard—just before his hand connects with my ass. He pulls my tail straight up toward the ceiling right at the base, which makes me arch my back and stick my ass out even more, he has stretched out my sit spot entirely before the smack connects, stretching out the area of contact.

It’s not a hard slap, but it’s loud and shocking, and the pull to my tail startles me. I feel so vulnerable—at his mercy—I’m unable to move and am completely helpless like this. At the same time, it feels so _good._ I throw my head back and another loud moan comes out instead of a cry.

“ _Please_!” I say. I really don’t want to wait. I can’t wait. My cock is dripping wet now, soaking into his lap. “ _Please_! I want you inside me!”

Rai suddenly throws me off his lap against the bed, a loud growl rumbles his entire body. The bite on my thigh is throbbing wildly, and I feel him behind me. He has me bent in half over the mattress and is pushing up against me, my legs slightly parted, my feet barely touching the floor, and his face is buried in my hair and nape. He is smelling me—immersing himself in my scent.

His hands wrap themselves around my hips, and I feel one grabbing my cock, and it starts stroking me gently—smoothly since I’m already so wet. Obscene sighs drip from my mouth.

He pushes my ass up against the bed a little further, lifting my feet up completely off the floor—I can’t even touch with my tiptoes now—and a shiver runs through my body when my tail is pulled up roughly, exposing my asshole.

I feel his lips and tongue on my nape—following a line down my spine—nipping me, kissing me, licking me—and I shiver with pleasure in response—not knowing what to do with my hands. I’m trapped under his body weight. Then, I feel something warm and wet—right at my entrance—gods—is that his _tongue_?

My body gives a small shudder, and I instinctively try to lower my tail and push away, but my hips are grabbed firmly. I’m not going anywhere. I feel Rai’s tongue enter me—along with pressure from one of his fingers. I cry out in shock, and in the brief pain from the finger stretching me out so suddenly.

His other hand on my dick continues its slow stroking. The movement isn’t enough to satisfy me—not at first—but then he applies more pressure, pressing his thumb into the slit, which releases more liquid, and also simultaneously makes another strange noise come out of me—I don’t recognize the sounds coming out of me at all.

I am finding it hard to breathe with his tongue wiggling inside me—and now, I think I feel two fingers back there—stretching me out, stroking me—and I suddenly remember what happened yesterday when he was doing this—and it seems like he’s searching for that same spot. I get very nervous and try to pull away.

But before he finds it, he pulls his fingers out, and I hear a rustling sound—and suddenly, something else hard—much larger than a tongue, much larger than fingers, and much hotter is pressed against my entrance.

I feel panic start to rise, and Rai whispers to me, “ _Relax_ , little one. Isn’t this what you wanted? Didn’t you ask for this? Me inside you?”

“ _Wait_ —just a minute—stop— _please_ —b-but wait—d-didn’t you say we had to wait?”

“I did,” comes his husky voice, murmured in my ear. “But even I can only take so much temptation. Are you changing your mind on me now? Such a capricious cat.” 

I feel tears spilling over the brims of my eyes and down my face—and I _want_ to say yes to him—and the voice in my head is crying out for this—but my fear is paralyzing me.

“Ah— _please_ —tell me, wh-why we should wait. Why d-do you think it was b-best to wait?” My voice is shaking with fear.

All movement behind me stops, though I can still feel him hard and hot behind me. Rai’s voice comes back much softer now. “What’s this? You are shivering and shaking. Are you afraid? Do I frighten you?”

“Um—” I swallow, wanting to wipe my tears and control my voice, but I’m unable to do either.

In a swift, smooth movement, Rai grabs my shoulder and flips me over on the bed—making me lose my orientation for a moment. My legs are still hanging off the side, however, and he remains in the same position, straddling me. I lose a little air from my lungs when he presses his chest against mine, lowering his face to mine, pinning me down to the bed with the weight of his body.

I can feel his dick pressing against my stomach. He is really, really aroused. I’ve provoked him.

I can’t read his expression. He doesn’t look pleased, but he doesn’t exactly look angry, either. The fact that he is displeased with me fills me with dismay, however. After all this—I’ve gotten this silver giant all worked up only to let him down—yet _again_. Now, what will I do? I don’t know where to go from here. My shameful actions can’t be ignored, and a tear slips down my cheeks. 

“Ho, a tear?” Rai’s finger brushes it away from my cheek, and then he lowers his face to mine, and he licks the trail the tear has left. His voice is soft and gentle. “Such a temperamental creature as yourself—prone to swift emotional swings—from lust and desire to despair? Tell me, what are we going to do with you? I thought a little discipline session would help you. But was it too much after all?”

He gently caresses my ears—and the touch is painfully tender—my heart squeezes within my chest.

“Don’t worry, I _know_ you’re not ready. There are other ways to satisfy both of our desires, you know, before we go down that route. Only… _really_ , little one. I don’t know if I will be able to hold myself back if you keep repeating that demand. Just—be careful, all right?”

He brings his lips to my face and kisses the trail my tear has left, leaving a trail of light kisses from the corner of my eye down to my neck, and I shiver from his touch. Then, he follows the line of my jaw back up to my mouth, nipping playfully, keeping his hands on either side of my head, massaging the base of my ears. It’s very loud, his fingers making a lot of noise in my ears.

Before he continues, however, he pulls away and looks at me. “Shall we start sword training, perhaps? Sometimes, when you’re excited and aroused, training goes a little better. At least, that’s what I’ve found in my experience. Care to give it a try?” His lips curve up in a bit of smile.

I swallow again. Isn’t he upset with me? Should I ask?

I look over his shoulder for a moment before answering, and his fluffy white tail comes into view. It’s waving happily behind his back. Does he know that his own tail gives away his true emotions as well, as much as he may try to hide them? Gods, I love that tail. I want to groom it—right now—but I need to comply with his wishes, and he would like to train with me. 

“All right,” I say. “I only want to be with you. And Rai—” I reach out and touch his arm.

“What is it?”

“Please don’t leave me alone today,” I whisper. I’m frightened by the devils, terrified of them.

His eye opens a little wider, just for a moment, and then he gives me a smile. “Of course not. I’ll get dressed, then.”

He hops out of bed and starts to get ready.

“Why don’t you help yourself to breakfast in the meantime?” He motions me to the table, and I give a giant stretch. I’m still incredibly aroused, and I watch him as he gets dressed. Gods, what a nice ass. And those legs—so muscular—like he was lovingly sculpted and is someone’s prized possession. He _is_ someone’s prized possession, in fact, I realize. He belongs to _me_.

I get up and walk over to the breakfast table—not a stitch of clothing on—and he glances up and watches me—staring at _my_ ass while I walk—and comments, “Oy, it seems I may have left you a little pink.”  
  
“What?” What’s he even talking about? But when I sit down at the bench, I know _exactly_ what he means. I’m sore. My sit spot is _amazingly_ sore. I give a little yelp and jump back up to my feet, my tail fluffing out fully. Is that _his_ doing? I didn’t think he spanked me very hard, so I’m genuinely surprised. Shocked, in fact, because at the time, it actually felt _good_. I don’t know what I should do. I rub myself gingerly, and then lower myself back down on the seat, folding one of my legs underneath me, using it as a cushion, my fuzzy tail whipping behind me agitatedly.

I look over my shoulder and I see a smirk on Rai’s face.

“What?” I ask, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

“I was just thinking—two things. First, you’re going to think about _me_ — _and_ this morning—each and every time you sit down today. I think I _like_ that—a _lot_. Second, I don’t know if you realize this, but something strange has happened to your shyness. Where did it go, all of the sudden? Is this the result of the incubus bite, or are you getting used to my company?”

“Ah—oh!” I look down and realize I’m naked, and I feel myself starting to blush again. But my stomach is growling, and there aren’t any clothes in this room for me anyway. I came up here last night in Rai’s cape, without clothes of my own. I’m too hungry to prioritize my nudity. Should I apologize? Is it rude? Am I being disrespectful, not covering myself before the earl?

“Now your ears are the same lovely shade as your cute little behind,” Rai remarks admiringly, slipping his shirt on, and starting to button it.

I ignore his statement and take a bite of the bread I’ve cut from the loaf in front of me. I’ve put a slice of cheese on it as well, and I pour water into my glass. Apparently, he doesn’t seem to mind, while my ears twitch and my tail flicks in annoyance. 

“Oh, did I make you mad?” He can’t keep the teasing out of his voice.

“…” I keep my mouth closed. I just don’t like listening to a running commentary about my body. 

I turn to look at him, just as he’s slipping on his hose. I don’t look away. He’s _very_ attractive—elegant in both dressing and undressing—in _everything_ he does. He pulls on his upper hose and garters and then puts on a damask doublet and a slim-cut velvet jerkin. The outfit is mostly blue with black accents, which brings out the blue in his eye, and includes elegant silver tinsel embroidery, which accents his lovely hair. Is this an every-day outfit for him? He looks so refined, so becoming.

He joins me at the table, sitting next to my left side at the bench—close enough to touch my bare leg, and helps himself to the food in front of him. In fact, he even reaches around behind my shoulders to get the butter, which is to my right.

“You could _ask_ me, and I would gladly pass it to you,” I say, glancing up at Rai’s face, which is only inches from mine.

“Of course I _could_ ,” he says. “But then I wouldn’t have an excuse to touch you.” He kisses my nose softly.

A small surprised sound comes out of my mouth, and his arm squeezes me in a soft embrace for a moment.

“Hush, now. Finish your food, and then we’ll take you down to wardrobe for some clothing. As much as I love admiring your body, I don’t think naked sword training is a good idea. However, whenever you’re in my chambers, you can wear as little as you like—as long as you stay warm—and I can help you with that. Does that sound all right?”

Strangely, almost on its own, my body cuddles up next to his. The silk, satin, and velvet feel so nice against my skin—so nice that I don’t even care about being naked. The hand Rai isn’t using to eat run along the side of my body—it feels good.

“Aren’t you angry with me?” I ask suddenly, glancing up at his face.

“What? No, of course not. Why would I be angry with you?” Rai says, taking another bite.

“Just—because—because I keep changing my mind,” I say quietly.

“Changing your mind about what?”

“Well, about… earlier. You know, in bed?” I don’t want to say it. I’m too ashamed. I look down at my plate.

“Konoe.”

I keep staring at my plate, and I feel more tears in my eyes. What is wrong with me? When did I become such a cry baby? I feel a soft caress on my shoulders—his tail—brushing my skin, and then his fingers graze my chin, making me meet his gaze.

“Look, that was my fault,” Rai says, almost urgently. “I pushed you too much. I wasn’t aware of the full effect of this incubus bite or how much it would affect you. It’s my responsibility to not take advantage, but…”

At this point, Rai strokes my ears again with his other hand, and the hand holding my chin caresses me a little.

“But I find you simply irresistible. I am simply too tempted. _You_ are too tempting. I’m sorry if I frightened you, little one. I didn’t mean to. I never want to hurt you, little one.”

Another few tears slip down my face.

“Oh, don’t cry, now.” He pulls me in for another soft embrace, and he pecks me on both cheeks, quickly catching my tears. It’s such a gentle gesture, full of tenderness. My heart feels full.

“Are you finished eating? If so, let’s get you down to wardrobe to find some clothes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Konoe wakes up surprisingly aroused the next morning. He doesn't want to sword train today--instead, he attacks Rai and starts talking about how he wants Rai inside of him--much to Rai's discontent. Konoe gets all upset and angsty for "displeasing his master" and Rai plays a little discipline game with him when he notices Konoe's response when he suggests it. 
> 
> Rai gives Konoe a rather erotic spanking--no safe words because it's Sisa--and it turns on Konoe so much that he starts begging for it again. He nearly gets his wish, but Rai stops when Konoe starts freaking out at the last minute. Rai pulls back and suggests Konoe eat some breakfast and save his arousal for sword training. (It helps Rai, apparently--poor repressed guy.)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: non-con touching (Verg shows up in this chapter) and some awkwardness

After an unpleasant visit to the wardrobe—Verg is there, waiting for me, and he won’t keep his hands to himself, insisting on dressing me, which irritates me to the ninth degree. It’s strange, because yesterday, his touch was excessively stimulating, but I didn’t find it revolting like it is today. His fingers creeping along my body makes my skin crawl. His mouth touching my ear—whispering softly about the color of my ass, then following the curve of it with his hand—his hands feel like insects slithering over me. It disgusts me. Even when his hands have completely moved away from my body, I still feel the creeping after-effects of his touch—that creepy-crawly sensation shivering across my skin, and a revulsion like nothing I’ve experienced—not even when I was alone with Leaks.

He smirks at Rai openly. “I see even _you_ had to punish this little kitten, didn’t you?” I detect glee in his tone, and I drop my eyes so I don’t I have to look at him directly. “This innocent face makes him seem like he would be so compliant— _especially_ for you—but I’m pleased to see you’re finally taking the reins as a dominant, shironekochan.”

“Hmpf,” the only response Verg is graced with is an arrogant murmur. “I’d like to get his wardrobe taken care of as soon as possible, so if you could do your job without delay and hurry along, I’d appreciate it.”

I am provided with a somewhat normal outfit—trousers and a blouse—for sword fighting practice. Although, in _no_ sense of the word could the trousers be considered “normal.” They are skin-tight, chocolate brown soft leather, painted on—again, I can’t wear underwear with them because of how tight they are, much to Verg’s delight. The legs are slashed open, lacing all the way up on the outside through grommets. My tail is pulled through an opening in the back, and Verg fusses with it more than he needs to, much to my annoyance. They will keep out of the way during practice, however, so I don’t complain. They are going to leave marks on my skin, I realize, once Verg finishes lacing them up. The blouse is a soft silk fabric—a lovely ivory shade—a very fine fabric, once again—much too fine for me to wear, I feel. But this is a fitted blouse—much unlike the ones favored for the time, which billow and flow with the wind—however, since we will be practicing our sword-fighting skills, this should be all right. Of course, the blouse only closes half-way up my chest, leaving the upper part of my body exposed, my nipples almost on display if I turn to the right or left. It’s almost indecent. I’m also given a pair of soft leather boots, which are thankfully quite comfortable.

When I come out of the dressing room for Rai’s inspection, his pupil grows round for a second before narrowing again, and then he frowns.

“What’s this?”

Verg answers languidly, “Well, _this_ is an outfit for practicing sword fighting, isn’t it? He won’t have extra fabric getting in his way, will he?”

Rai sighs and looks at me from head to toe, and I lower my face in shame. I will never be able to please this master. He notices my response and approaches, taking my chin in his hand, and whispers, “Not you, little one. You look wonderful.” Addressing Verg, he says, “Don’t you think he might get cold outside?”

“Not if you work him hard enough.”

“The blouse—it doesn’t even cover half his chest. Get him a cape or a doublet or something. I’ll wait.”

“As you wish,” Verg’s voice is laced with haughtiness. “I think you’re just afraid you’ll be too distracted, myself,” he mutters, as he pulls me back into the dressing room.

He fingers through various items of clothing, looking through them delicately—almost as though these are his personal treasures—while I wait patiently, staring at the floor.

In an instant, I’m pushed up against the clothing behind me, and I feel Verg’s hand at the base of my tail and the other hand lifting my chin.

“Don’t you _dare_ call out—or you _know_ what I will do to you. You don’t want that, do you? It will make sword practice quite difficult for you, won’t it?” His voice is low, hot and bothered.

“Wh-what do you _want_ with me? I’m not disobeying you! I’ve been _compliant_!” I whimper desperately.

“I want to know—exactly _what_ did he _do_ to you? Last night? And how did you manage to raise his ire? That cat _never_ loses his cool!” His face is less than two inches from mine, and I flinch, but there’s nowhere for me to go—he has me trapped. I most certainly do not want him to shock me. However—I don’t answer quickly enough for his satisfaction.

“Answer me!”

I feel a painful electric shock at the base of my tail— _much_ more painful than I remember from his previous punishments, perhaps because of the incubus bite—and he covers my lips with a sort of kiss to muffle my cry. His tongue in my mouth makes me want to vomit. The waves of pleasure that are supposed to follow are waves of _pain_ , not pleasure—and my knees buckle—but he easily catches me.

“ _Answer_ me, or you’ll get another,” he whispers.

I have tears spilling over my eyes. Why is he _doing_ this to me? What did I do to him to make him treat me this way?

“What. Did. He. _Do_. To. You?” He punctuates each word with a squeeze to the base of my tail like a fresh threat.

“N- _nothing_! The s-same th-thing that y-you and I-Igaryx d-did!” I whisper, obviously showing my distress, my eyes wide.

“Ho? He _waited_? Why?”

“S-something about m-me n-not b-being r-ready, and h-he was angry w-with m-me for t-t-tempting h-him.” I look down, unable to meet Verg’s eye.

“Ah—so he spanked you for _tempting_ him? Good for him. I’m sure you deserved _much_ more than you got.” He pulls a vest-like thing from the rack and says, “This should fit. Wear this jerkin over your blouse to keep your master from being so distracted by your cute little body. He wants you and wants you badly.”

I slip my arms into it, and Verg buttons it for me. _I can do it myself_ , I think, but I don’t say anything.

“That took long enough,” Rai says when we emerge, but he’s looking at my tail, which is fluffed up and fuzzy from Verg’s shock. His eye narrows, and he suddenly straightens up from his relaxed position leaning against the wall. “I was about to come in there after you.” 

“No need—just took me some time to find what I was looking for,” Verg says, the same languid casual tone in his voice.  
  
“Look,” Rai approaches the demon, making him look up. Rai is taller than Verg by a few inches, but Verg doesn’t back down. “This kitten is mine. I want you to keep your hands off of him. Am I making myself clear?”

Verg laughs, “Whatever you say, _Earl_ , but I don’t follow your orders.”

I hear a terrifying growl, making all the hair on my body stand on end. It takes a moment to realize the sound is coming from _Rai_. His fangs are showing now, and his claws are half-way drawn, and his fur is starting to rise. He is probably _really_ scary when he is angry.

“Don’t forget, you’re not under your own command here, either, _Earl_ , and you have to follow the same orders I do.”

“I won’t show you any mercy if I catch you doing anything to this cat.” There is not the slightest hesitation in Rai’s tone, which actually frightens me.

“You’re scaring the kitten, Rai. He hasn’t seen this side of you, yet, so you’d better watch yourself.”

Rai takes a deep breath—letting his claws retract, covering his fangs with his lips, and turns to look at me. I try not to cower, but I realize that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m _cowering_ before my master, and the look on his face—gods, it’s pitiable. He looks almost devastated by my response to him. It brings tears to my eyes—I've disappointed him again. What is the history between these two?

“You know from personal experience what the effects of an incubus bite are, don’t you? That’s why you’re taking this so hard,” Verg keeps running his mouth. “It was the _only_ time you didn’t have full control of yourself, isn’t it? I bet it _still_ rubs you raw, even today. But you were just a kid back then—cold and ruthless, even back then—and we wanted to see if there was another part of you in there.”

Cold? Ruthless? What is he talking about? I haven’t seen anything in this silver cat that approaches coldness or ruthlessness. I’m shocked to hear these words.

“Let’s go,” Rai says, turning on his heel.

I’m burning with curiosity, but I can’t ask any questions. Rai’s fur still looks slightly bristled, so I keep my mouth shut. I follow that bushy white tail down to the armory, where he picks through the equipment.

“Let’s keep it light today,” he suggests. “I’d like to see if we can’t draw that song from you again—but the only time I’ve heard it so far is in the bedroom. So I’m not sure how we can reproduce the surroundings here on the field—hence, I wanted to leave things a little unfinished this morning.”

I blush at his words. Was he really thinking about that? He’s thinking about sex and fighting at the same time? The two are _totally_ different, aren’t they?

“For now, why don’t we just go through the basics and see where you are,” he suggests.

While he finds a small longsword for me—I notice he picks up two—he fights with two swords?—I hear footsteps behind me and am surprised to feel a soft caress on my ears.

“Good morning, nekochan,” Froud says. “I’m so glad you’ve joined us today. Perhaps I can be of assistance with your training, too. Just let me know and I’m here to help.”

I turn to look at him, and his eyes are skimming my body—looking at me from top to bottom—and his nostrils flare. Is he smelling me, too? I get a little shiver in my shoulders.

“Despite my best efforts, you do not look much changed from yesterday,” he comments, slightly disappointed. “What, you couldn’t find it in you to gobble him up for yourself? If you don’t do it, someone else will get to him first.” Froud is looking at Rai pointedly with that comment. 

“Shut up,” Rai answers, keeping his cool. There’s something in his pale blue eye, however, which I see every time Froud is around, that is different from the other demons. I’ve never really noticed it till now.

Froud touches my ears again, almost trying to provoke Rai, and I see a minuscule shift in Rai’s facial expression. “These are so soft—I’d love for you to pay me a visit sometime, little kitty. I think we might have some fun together. Plus I might be able to teach you some tricks to please your master. I know him _very_ well.”

“Are you _trying_ to make me angry?” Rai asks, managing to keep his voice under control. “Don’t you have something to do, somewhere to be, someone to train?”

“But I am—I’m helping _you_!” Froud says, an almost wounded tone in his voice.

“Like hell,” Rai mutters under his breath. Then, speaking to me, he says, “Let’s go.”

“You don’t care for that demon much, do you?” I ask.

Rai glances over his shoulder at me—I realize I spend most of my time following Rai—his stride is much longer than mine, and he is used to having other follow behind him. I cannot keep up with his much faster pace, even when I hurry, so he has to look over his shoulder if he wants to look at me when I talk.

“I don’t like _any_ of the devils,” Rai says frankly, but quietly and calmly. “I’ll be getting rid of those monsters the moment I take over this place.”

Is he actually _planning_ to take over as the heir? My jaw drops when I hear this. I mean, of course, he could—but in that case—what does he want with _me_?

“That’s why this is _so_ important, Konoe. We need to get your song established, because I can’t do this—come into my inheritance—without your song.”

What? What did he just say? It depends on _me_? My stomach drops to my feet, and I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.

“B-but what if there’s b-been a mistake? Wh-what if I-I’m n-not who you think I am?” I stammer slightly, unable to take another step forward. 

“You _are_ that cat. I _know_ you are that cat.” That clear blue eye stares at me with utmost clarity and reason, hope and confidence.

But what if I fail? What if I let him down?

“Shall we begin?” He ignores my doubt—his confidence is enough for both of us. I feel a sense of relief. A small smile forms on his lips. I realize then that Rai truly enjoys sword training—of course, he would. With a body like his, it should have been obvious. I feel it the first moment our blades clash—the fire in his eye changes. I am instantly infected by his bloodlust—this fighting spirit—the desire to dominate your opponent.

I’m sure he goes easy on me—but it gets harder and harder as the fight goes on. I have to use the claws on my left hand to counter his second sword since I can’t fight with two swords like he does. However, I’m fast on my feet, and I use my speed to my best advantage.

He’s tall—and his limbs are surprisingly long—so he doesn’t need speed like I do. He can reach me easily without as much movement.

He has disarmed me within the first ten minutes of our battle, leaving me on my back in the grass, panting and disoriented.

“Get up,” he says patiently. “Try again.”

So I do. We keep training for quite awhile—after two hours, I’m spent. I haven’t even come close to disarming him—nor have I even struck him—even once in the two hours we’ve practiced. He’s really, _really_ good at this.

“That’s probably enough for today,” Rai states. “I don’t want to exhaust you, and you’re new to this level of practice, I’d guess. You’re not bad, though—very quick on your feet.”

I realize when I get up for the last time—I take Rai’s proffered hand—that we’ve gathered an audience. My ears start heating up.

“Oh, Rai-sama _always_ gathers an audience when he practices,” Froud states. “The recruits enjoy watching him fight. He uses his weapons like extensions of his body, and his movements are like a dance. You’re lucky he wants to train you himself.”

I’m mortified by my performance. However, I did the best I could, and my master seems pleased with me.

“Come,” Rai says, beckoning to me. “Let’s get these put away and go pay Bardo a visit. That should be good for your body and soul.” 

Ahh—the bathhouse—I’d almost forgotten! I’m _thrilled_. I follow after him happily, an extra bounce in my step—and then it hits me— _wait_ , is Rai going to take a shower and bath _with me_? That is not going to work. _Not at all_. I won’t be able to control myself.

“What’s wrong? Doesn’t sitting in the hot water spring sound nice? It will be good for you,” Rai states. He crosses his arms in front of his chest when I remain standing stock-still. “It’s my wish.” Ah, now _that’s_ not fair!

“Yes, sir,” I answer. My ears droop a little, and I follow after him—and I realize my body is starting to suffer additional consequences—as if I weren’t already worried about that!

After we put away the gear, I continue following his bushy white tail with my ears lowered.

“What’s the matter? Why are you moping?” Rai stops suddenly in the hallway, and I nearly bump into him because I’m not paying attention to where I’m going. “Don’t you want to soak in the pool?”

“It’s not that,” I say honestly. But I can’t meet his gaze.

“Why won’t you look at me?” Rai asks. Concern suddenly fills his voice. “Did I hurt you? Where? Show me!” He reaches out and grabs me, abruptly pulling me close.

“No, no!” I almost yell, trying to pull away—and suffering more physically from pulling away, my already painfully hard cock becoming even more aroused.

“What on earth is wrong with you, then?” Rai sounds a little exasperated.

“I…” My face is too red now, and I can't bring myself to speak.

“You what?” It sounds like his patience is wearing thin, quite frankly. And I _am_ behaving rather childishly.

“I… I just don’t think you should see me naked right now,” I say quietly, keeping my ears lowered.

“Why ever not?” I don’t look up at his face, but something in his voice has changed. His exasperation has disappeared suddenly.

I don’t answer right away, and I can’t abate my curiosity about the change in his tone, and I hear a slight snicker from above me. Wait—what _was_ that? Is he _laughing_?

Incredulous, I glance up at Rai’s face, and he has a hand covering his mouth, but his eye is dancing with amusement. What the _hell_?  
  
“What’s so funny?” I ask, an obviously hurt tone in my voice.

“I’m sorry,” Rai says, trying to get himself under control. “But I think I just figured out what you’re worried about. And really, you shouldn’t be.”

“What?! What are you talking about?” I look away angrily and ashamed.

“Konoe.”

When he says my name gently like that— _tenderly_ like that—as if it’s something that belongs on his lips—I _have_ to look at his face. I really can’t look away from him.

“Did you perhaps _forget_ what sort of outfit Verg dressed you in this morning? It doesn’t exactly leave much to the imagination.” 

That pale blue eye is sparkling with mischief. And I feel one of his hands reach out and brush against the front of my trousers—which are, frankly, painfully straining. A shiver runs through my body when he touches me like this, and I nearly lose the power in my legs—just from that gentle touch.

“It’s been like this for quite a while, you know. Why do you think we gathered such a large audience today? You don’t really think they were watching _me_ , do you? They can see me any day of the week. They were looking at _you_.”

Heat burns in my face, my chest, my ears—and the core of my body—when I hear he’s noticed me and my state for the past hour. And he was looking. At me.

“They—they _must_ have been watching you fight,” I say desperately.

“I don’t think so,” Rai murmurs into my ear. “I have my fans, but there were others here today that I’d never seen before. They were there for _you_.”

“I don’t care about them. I only care about _you_. You noticed?”

“How could I not? You seemed to truly be enjoying yourself. Although—your mind seemed somewhat preoccupied after the second time I disarmed you.”

I hiss at the comment. “That’s because of the way you pinned me down like that in the grass! It was totally unnecessary!” 

Rai laughs. “Of course it was necessary! How else was I supposed to touch you, then?”

“You were _trying_ to touch me?”

“Isn’t that what today was really about? Dominating your partner, bending him to your will?” I feel a damp touch in my ear—I must taste salty, like sweat—but he licks me anyway, and I feel his hot breath and tongue in my ear—deep inside there, and I melt.

Shit—no—this is going to make the shower much, much worse!

“Stop it!” I protest desperately. “I can’t bathe with you like this!”

“Why ever not? You don’t want anyone else to know that you’re attracted to me? Who knows, it’s probably just because of this bite on your thigh anyway.” Cruelly, he brushes my thigh, right at the bite—which is throbbing right now because I’m protesting his touch, disobeying his direct advance—and the touch nearly singes me, even through the leather of my trousers.

“I-it’s not!” I argue, with a small sigh.

“You are obstinate today,” Rai remarks. “Come, let’s go. I’m hot and sweaty, and I want a shower. You are coming with me.”

He grabs my arm and pulls me along behind him. I try to resist at first but realize I’m only making it worse for myself. I blow a sigh and submit, walking along behind him agreeably.

Once he feels my submission, he turns to me and grins. “There we go. Isn’t this much better?”

“For _you_ , perhaps.”

Next, I start to worry about how the hell I’m going to peel myself out of these leather pants without help. They are stuck to my body in all kinds of unpleasant ways. I wonder if Verg considered this when he chose them for me. I bet he did and chose them on purpose for that very reason. I sulk a little when I think about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They stop at the wardrobe--Konoe came upstairs naked, after all--and Verg pulls Konoe aside wanting to know what happened and threatens to shock him if he doesn't spill the details. Konoe isn't fast or compliant enough for Verg--he's scared of him, after all--and ends up shocking him anyway. Rai notices when Konoe's tail is all fuzzy--and he threatens Verg when he leaves.
> 
> The two cats (Rai and Konoe) train for several hours and Konoe is really shitty. Well, he try he best, but no go. He can't even get a single hit. However, each time Rai knocks him to the ground, Konoe feels strangely hot and even more aroused than before, and when Rai suggests they hit the bathhouse, at first that sounds great--but then he gets angsty about his current state of arousal.
> 
> Rai isn't terribly surprised since Konoe's state of arousal has been more than obvious, thanks to the tight pants Verg dressed him in earlier that day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nudity.

“Next time, apply a little baby powder before slipping into trousers this tight,” Bardo suggests. I’m in the pre-shower room, completely humiliated, and between Bardo, Rai and me, we cannot get my pants off. I’m really sweaty from the workout Rai gave me, of course, but leather sticks when it’s wet and really doesn’t breathe well at all.

“Maybe we have to unlace them, or at least loosen the sides?” Rai suggests, looking at my legs. “Did he tighten the laces once you were in them?”

“Oh, yeah—he did,” I admit.

“Ah—it’s like a corset, then,” Bardo says as if that explains everything. What the fuck is a corset? I just want out of these pants.

“I think I can do it myself,” I say timidly.

“Shut up,” both of the big cats say simultaneously, Bardo on my left, Rai on the right. I’m nudged to sit down on a stool, while the two cats loosen the laces on both my legs. It takes a long time, and I’m terribly ashamed and uncomfortable, just waiting here, while the large cats undress me like a doll. Ideally, I’d like to find a large rock to hide under, but that isn’t an option right now.

However—they do finally help me out of the trousers. They pull at the waist and peel them off, almost like a second skin, leaving me naked underneath. The rivets and laces have left marks on my legs, which Rai fingers carefully with his fingers.

“Ugh—I’m sorry. We won’t have you wear these again,” he murmurs. I don’t really mind him touching me like that, although it’s awkward with Bardo standing right here. “Thanks for the help, we’re fine now.”

“All right then, good luck, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Bardo jokes, watching as Rai pulls me under the showers.

I start to rinse off my body—except I’m roughly pushed up against the wall of the shower, the water streaming down over my head and shoulders, and my feet leave the ground for a moment as Rai pushes his body against mine, pressing his leg between mine.

A gasping sigh escapes my mouth, and I feel his hands combing through my hair, and I taste his salty lips on mine. I have to close my eyes against the streaming water. He wastes no time and invades my mouth with his tongue, and he presses his hips against mine. He is rock-hard, too—is this from fighting? Does he enjoy fighting _this_ much?

When he pulls away to let me catch a breath, I can hear his low voice, husky and desperate, “All those people watching you, wishing they could make you theirs,” and my mouth his crushed against his again.

Wait—is this _jealousy_? It can’t be.

“I’ll _never_ let them have you—I was _beside_ myself when Verg touched you this morning—I _know_ he touched you—he helped you dress and he touched you, didn’t he? Why didn’t you call for me? Do you _enjoy_ his touch? Do you _like_ that stimulation?”

My chin is tipped up to his, and the look in Rai’s face is wild, almost feral.

"No—I hate it! He wanted to know what you’d done to me last night, and he threatened to shock me if I called out for help. He shocked me anyway, though.”

“The devils desire you, too. They can smell your magic. But you’ve only ever sung for _me_. You’ll only _ever_ sing for me, won’t you?”

I’m a little taken aback by the jealousy in his voice. Plus, the way he’s got me pinned against the wall is scaring me but arousing me something fierce.

“Rai...”

He takes my lips roughly, nipping my bottom lip, lifting my body entirely off the ground, holding me by the hips with one hand, rocking me against the wall, the other hand pressing against my nape desperately.

“If they took you from me,” he’s speaking against my lips in a tone I don’t recognize, “I don’t know _what_ I’d do. No—I _know_ what I would do. I would _kill_ them—I would come after them—I would chase them into _hell_ —” and kissing me deeply, delving into my lips, taking my breath away completely, “into the very depths of hell and drag you back to me.”

“Rai—” Is this the effect of the incubus bite? The effect of my bite on him? The old bite of his flaring up? Something else? What is this?

“ _Sing_ for me, Konoe. It’s my heart’s desire to hear your song. I _need_ to hear your voice. Soothe my troubled heart. Soothe me.”

I can’t—I can’t just sing like that! I’ve only ever sung that one time and that was—well, that was when I was about to—well, never mind what I was doing. But I can’t very well do that on command.

My body starts to ache and throb—all over—in longing and yearning for my master—because of this spoken desire, his wish—such pain—I cannot imagine another day filled with pain like I experienced yesterday, and tears burn my eyes—so I close them.

But my master, Rai, the silver cat, is _right here_. He is right here in front of me. My desire for him, my desire to _be_ with him, in his presence, in his company, I’m here. And I’m naked. He is naked. There are no barriers between us. What else could I possibly want? What could I possibly desire or ask for?

I close my eyes, feel his hands in my hair and against my hip, and I inhale his scent— _warmth_. _Comfort_. _Safety_. But the tone of his voice sounds lonely—he is so alone. He desires a bond and doesn’t know how to form one. When I close my eyes, I see a young kitten—fluffy, white, long-haired, being led by the hand by an orange and black tiger-striped cat, led to this castle. Is that Rai, being led by Bardo’s hand? The white kitten sheds no tears and shows a brave face when separated from Bardo, but Bardo is angry. He puts up a fight. The white kitten stops him, thanks him, hugs him, drawing tears from the tiger cat’s eyes, as he is led away by a demon dressed in black with a shock of green hair.

 _Alone_. He was alone. But not anymore. _Never again._ When I open my eyes, a bright light floods the shower, and Rai is encompassed, surrounded by it. My melody floats in the air. It’s a soft melody—a gentle melody, different from the one I sang yesterday. Instead of being laced with longing, this one is laced with warmth. This melody says _I will never leave you. You will never be alone._

The song weaves a simple melody, my bones and flesh rattling softly and gently, I can feel the vibrations on my skin—and I feel Rai’s hands against my skin as well—and I sense when the melody enters Rai’s ears, his body, his heart, his soul. It vibrates his very being—I can communicate my thoughts and my emotions this way—I can soothe him this way—and he takes a deep breath, finally relaxing, I can feel him relaxing. He relaxes, he trusts me, he believes in me.  My heart breaks a little to see that trust in me, and the light of my melody flares up even more brightly, gets even bolder, my melody gets even louder and even stronger.

I can sing for him.

When I look into the face of my master, it shines with happiness and pleasure. I know I have pleased him, and I am filled with relief.I wrap my arms around his neck, receiving several soft kisses on my nose, my eyelids, my cheeks, my lips.

Then from outside the shower room, Bardo yells, “What the hell is going on in there?” And he runs in, finding us embracing in the showers, naked, me pushed up against the wall, being held in Rai’s arms, singing my heart out, Rai resting his forehead to mine, both of us enveloped by a soft, golden light.

“What is this? I haven’t heard anything like this since... not since... Shui,” Bardo breathes softly, admiringly, taking a few steps backward.

He is relieved, seeing Rai cared for in this way— _finally_. It’s just what he needs. He smiles from the bottom of his heart, listening to the melody—magical, beautiful, delicate—just what he'd expect from that beautiful kitten.

Of course, he wouldn’t expect less from Shui’s son, enchanted by Leaks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t forgotten this fanfic! It’s just been a while. :) It needed a short little update, I think.
> 
> Bardo and Rai are both trying to pull off Konoe's super-tight pants, and he is sitting there mortified and embarrassed. (I just love seeing me an embarrassed Konoe. Sorry, not sorry.) Once he's finally naked, Rai pulls him into the shower with Bardo's warning, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," which Rai promptly ignores or else follows to the letter.
> 
> Konoe is attacked under the stream of water by Rai, who is suffering a small fit of jealousy when remembering all the observers outside on the field. He is developing a significant attachment to Konoe and begs him to sing, to soothe his heart. Konoe doesn't think he can sing--but then he is able to, and easily, too, when he sees his master there before him asking him from his heart.
> 
> Bardo hears the noise, realizing he hasn't heard this kind of song since Shui was in the castle. He should have realized, however, and expected no less from "Shui's son enchanted by Leaks."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of Konoe and Rai's exchange at the bathhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably, this should have been included in the last chapter, but I didn't finish it, and I wanted to post an update. Too many fics happening at the same time, but I am working on this one still!

After my song in the shower, all the power leaves my body—and I expect to collapse on the floor, but I don’t. Rai catches me easily and brings me to the pool, taking me in with him.

It does feel nice—so nice—to soak in the warm water, but I feel vulnerable not being able to move or do anything for myself. I’m so relaxed that I float to the surface, rather than staying seated on the side, and it starts to get annoying. For me, I mean. Rai isn't annoyed at all and seems to be messing with me—almost playing with me, like I’m a boat or a toy or something in the pool.

“Um,” as a mouthful of water interrupts me.

“How are you still talking? I’m trying to rock you to sleep.”

It’s getting quite warm, and I mention it. Something isn’t quite right with my body, or the temperature, and I say, “I think I need to get out of the pool.”

Rai wraps me in a towel when he helps me out. I'm laid out on a cot, facedown. I still can't move. Bardo walks over to check on me.

“He looks really pink,” Bardo mumbles. “I wonder if he just got too hot. This has happened to him before. Do you want to get dressed while I put this lotion on him?”

Since I’m lying on my stomach, I don’t see their exchange, but Bardo says, “Jeez, _fine_ , use your damn _words_. I’ll back off.”

I can see—with my half-opened eyes—a striped tail wandering out of my line of sight, and then suddenly, I feel something cold squirt on my back. It makes me nearly jump out of my skin—the suddenness of the wet touch and temperature.

“Oh, should I have warmed this up in my hands first?” Rai’s teasing voice comes behind my ears, and his hands immediately start spreading the lotion over my skin. It’s chilly at first, but the large hands touching my skin are soothing and pleasant and wonderful. 

However, the heat I felt in the pool is not cooling off. I’m uncomfortable and I want to fidget, but I have no power in my body. I realize I am suffering symptoms from the bite on my leg.

_How did this happen?_

My brain starts to turn and I worry. I _must_ have displeased him or not met one of his desires. Why is this happening now, of all times? What did I miss?

“Have I... missed something?” I ask softly. I know he doesn’t like it when I assume he is displeased. However, if he weren’t, why would I be feeling like this? I’m clearly suffering—and he is even touching me right now. 

“Missed something? Like what? What do you mean, little one?” I feel him remove the towel from my lower body altogether, which Bardo doesn’t do, when he applies the lotion carefully all around my lower back, dipping into the curves of my waist and hips, massaging my ass gently.

He pulls a brush through the fur of my tail at the same time, which is a surprise as well, and another pleasant sensation.

“I feel... strange,” I say, into my arms, still embarrassed to tell him what is really going on with me, despite the things we have already done today.

“Relaxed?” he asks.

“Well, more _paralyzed_ than relaxed,” I admit. “But that isn’t what I mean.”

“Oh? It doesn’t bother you to be completely and utterly helpless like this before me?” His hands are smoothing their way down my thighs now, pulling out the knots in my muscles. Why is he doing this for me? Shouldn’t I be the one doing this for him? He’s my master, after all—the thought clouds my mind, interrupting my enjoyment of his touch. 

Wait—what did he just say? I try to turn my head, and I can’t. I can’t move it at all and end up tilting my ears back toward the sound of his voice. The tone sounded strange. 

“Um,” I say. “Should it?”

“If _I_ were in your… proverbial shoes,” his voice is quieter and spoken much closer to my twitching ear, while he bends one of my knees, letting his fingers skate over the sole of my bare foot. It tickles terribly, and I can’t even move my feet away from his touch, “I might be just a _little_ nervous if a horny cat twice my size was touching my naked body to his heart’s content. Especially in a public place like this.”

I feel something damp on my foot—on my toe—I think he’s sucked my big toe into his mouth. What the hell? And oh, my gods! It feels _good_! It sends shivers down my entire leg, and into my hips and tail, too. 

“I’m just saying that’s how _I_ would feel. You can feel however you like. As far as I know, you quite _like_ feeling vulnerable and helpless.” He nips the toe in his mouth, and I can feel him purring.

“Rai—” I start.

“What? Are you going to refuse me?” The tone is teasing, but again, his voice is laced with something else that most certainly _isn’t_ teasing. It’s slightly frightening, just a little, but terribly exciting as well. “I thought I was your _master_. Plus—what exactly are you going to do? Bite me and get away?” 

I feel his tongue on the sole of my foot now—I have to remember I did _just_ get out of the bath, and my feet haven’t touched the ground. I’m clean, right? Still—it doesn’t feel quite right that he should be putting this part of me into his mouth. Although, this cat doesn’t seem to have any qualms about putting various parts of me into his mouth. Or licking them. Excessively and often.

“I thought you were the shy type, less demonstrative in public—and even in private,” his soothing, teasing voice continues quietly. “Even upstairs in my room, I can almost always tell that you’re not used to showing affection or having affection shown to you. You blush _so_ prettily when you get shy about these things.”

I feel a soft touch on my ear. Maybe a hand? It feels cool, which means—which most certainly means my ears are hot and blushing again. I guess if he says he likes it, that must mean he’s pleased, so _why_ do I feel like this?

I still haven’t told him what I needed to tell him—or ask him what he wants from me—what need of his I’m failing to meet—then maybe—

And then I feel his tongue on my lower leg, which distracts me from asking the question.

“Wouldn’t you be embarrassed if Bardo came back right now?”

I realize we are in the middle of the main bathhouse floor. He is licking me—and I am not covered in any way.

“Well—you could possibly cover me up a little?”

“In theory, I _could_.”

“Bardo usually keeps me covered with a towel,” I say. In retrospect, this was probably a rather careless comment, but in my defense, _Rai_ was the one who brought up Bardo in the first place, which is what made me think of it. 

“Excuse me?” The tongue stops. Abruptly. And Rai’s tone has changed again. The teasing has disappeared when he says those two words.

I don’t respond in any way.

“Did you say Bardo _usually_ keeps you covered?” My body is roughly flipped over, and I find myself face-to-face with the silver cat, whose sharp white fangs are peeping over his lips. His voice low and hissing, he asks, “Why wouldn’t he _always_ keep you covered? Are you saying the old man _touches_ you when you come here?”

“Well, he runs this place, doesn’t he?” I say helplessly. “I do what I am told when I come here, or I am punished severely. Sometimes I am punished even when I do as I am told.” My ears are lowered guiltily, and I can feel tears burning in the back of my eyes. I _know_ I have displeased him now—all from a stupid, careless comment.

“He is the master of the bath, yes,” Rai answers, his voice leveling out slightly, but I still detect the remains of a growl in it. It’s distracting to have him straddling me like this because I am aroused—almost painfully—and I’m afraid it’s going to be only minutes before he notices and says something. “I didn’t realize his duties included touching you.”

“When I come here, he helps me wash my hair and grooms me, and he also applies that lotion you’re using on me,” I answer truthfully. “I assumed you knew. That’s why he offered.”

“He applies it?” Rai’s eyebrows furrow. “Like—to your body, with his hands, the same way I am?”

 _Well, how the fuck else would he do it?_ I think, and I feel a pang in my chestthat shoots directly to my hips for even thinking something rebellious toward my master. My dick twitches painfully, and it’s pressed up against Rai’s abdomen. I lower my eyes to avoid his expression.

“Are you having dirty thoughts even _thinking_ about it?” His previously calm voice starts to escalate. “Do you _like_ having him touch you? Do you like when _he_ touches you more than when _I_ touch you?”

The tears that have been burning in my eyes float to the surface immediately. Since I’m on my back, I can see them sparkling on my eyelashes. Gods damn it. I have displeased him _again_. My chest aches.

“Why would you say that?” I ask, my voice quiet, meeting his gaze. “How could you even _think_ such a thing? I—I _sang_ for you. I can’t move right now because I _sang_ for you. I am vulnerable right now because I sang for _you_.” 

What could have made such a gorgeous, elegant and dignified cat so insecure? Why does he act like this? What have they done to him here, to make him act this way? Why would he think such a thing of me?

“Do you really think me such a flighty creature?” I notice one of the tears has spilled over my lashes now. I still can’t move, and he is obviously in a position of power over me—he is always and has always been and probably always will be more powerful than me. I _have_ to trust him, but I realize he does not have to trust me—and he clearly _doesn’t_. “Why would I have done all these things—”

“Because of the fucking incubus bite on your leg, Bakaneko!” Rai exclaims, clearly exasperated.

“That won’t make me _sing_! Did _you_ sing when you were bitten?” It physically hurts my body to yell at him, but I do it anyway. I am still _myself_ , despite any stupid incubus bite. “I get to choose to sing and for whom. I _want_ to be here with you.”

“You don’t have a choice to be here. You were dragged here, by Master Leaks’ soldiers, for my benefit, for my _use_. And I’m taking advantage— _full_ advantage—of you right now. Don’t you understand that?”

“But—”

“But nothing! How are you arguing with me? Isn’t this bite supposed to _make_ you compliant? _Force_ your submission? _Conform_ you to my will? How the hell are you even arguing with me?”

“It hurts like a son of a bitch, but you’re being so obstinate that it can’t be helped!” I yell again, the pain in my body rising even further.

“ _I’m_ being obstinate—?” He has such a shocked expression on his face now that it's almost cute. I can hardly stand it. But I'm not giving up till I know he has heard me.

“Yes! You won’t _listen_ to me. You are ignoring the actual _facts_ of what happened and are simply confirming your beliefs. You think you are unloved and unlovable, and you can’t understand why I would _want_ to sing for you. You have shown me immeasurable kindness—and _continue_ to show me such kindness—since my arrival here. You say you have taken advantage, but you _haven’t_ —not without my permission.”

I can scarcely breathe now, which means Rai probably really, _really_ wants me to shut up. But I can’t. And I don't.

“Your _permission_? You don’t have any permission to give! Your rights were taken away and given to _me_ to do with as I please!”

“I _trust_ you with them. I _want_ you to have them,” I manage to get those words out before I am forced to stop talking. I am panting now, my body sweating. I take a few deep breaths. My voice lower and calmer, I ask, “Why don’t you want me to say these things? Why don’t you want to hear that I trust you?”

Several more silent tears slip down my cheeks, but I’m staring—no, glaring—at Rai’s face as I speak these words. He sighs heavily.

“Let’s go. This is _ridiculous_. You— _you_ are ridiculous. You are so rebellious, and you are hurting yourself for no reason,” his voice is calm again, and that infuriates me.

“I have an _excellent_ reason for doing this, and if you would just _listen_ to me, it wouldn’t have to hurt!” I yell. “I want you to believe that I _trust_ you! I _want_ to be with you! Is that so wrong?”

“Hush, now,” Rai strokes my head and my ears, in what I assume is supposed be comforting but ends up feeling controlling, and he looks up a little desperately. “What the hell did I do with that towel? Let me get a robe, and we’re taking this conversation elsewhere. This is ridiculous.”  
  
“Stop calling me ridiculous!” I yell, pained.

“Stop shouting. It’s all right. I heard you,” Rai meets my gaze, touching me under the chin, his expression quite serious. “Thank you. I don’t—I don’t know what to do with your words. But you _must_ stop. You are hurting yourself and you need to _stop_. It hurts me to see you hurt yourself. Especially knowing that I am the cause.”

“Then why don’t you fucking listen to m-” I try to yell again, but he muffles my last shout with his mouth, lowering himself to me and taking my lips roughly like he owns me. My body—I thought it was still paralyzed and I couldn’t move it on my own. But when he kisses me, my body responds to his touch and lifts up off the cot—pushing into his, curling into his—like it is desperate for as much skin-to-skin contact as possible.

I feel his tongue in my mouth, brushing the back of my throat, which starts up a rumbling, nasty-sounding wet purr in the core of my body. His fangs click softly against mine, and my tongue gently touches the sharp tips of those canines. He was _just_ baring them at me—in anger? Frustration? My body reacts instantly to the touch of its master—while the bite on my leg is flaring hotly, my body melts when Rai touches me this way. 

I realize I’m making rather obscene sounds while he’s kissing me—I can’t help it. When he pulls his face away from mine, his expression is much softer, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

“Seems you have some of your power back—or is this a conditioned response? Let’s take this conversation upstairs. This could be… interesting.”

I watch his back—well, I’m not looking at his back—not in the _least_ —as he gets up and walks back toward the shower room. I can’t take my eyes off his ass, actually. He comes back in a robe, carrying a towel, with which he partly covers me.

He scoops me into his arms, tipping me toward his chest, making as much of my body touch his exposed skin as is decent—and possibly a little more than is decent—but I don’t care. I want to be near him. I just want to touch him.

A shiver runs through my back and shoulders when he strokes my nape, and I feel him nuzzle my ears as we walk out of the bathhouse, through the corridors and up the stairs to his chamber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still at the bathhouse, after singing, Konoe is exhausted. Rai lets him float in the pool for a while till he looks like he's too warm, and then gets him out of the water.
> 
> Rai discovers that Bardo has cared for Konoe in the past while he was here, including applying a lotion to his skin and helping him bathe--it's part of his job, after all--and Rai's teasing play gets a little jealous. Rai's disappointment hurts Konoe's feelings--and he still is unable to move, after all, and vulnerable, but mostly he feels terrible (from the incubus bite). Rai confesses to feeling responsible for Konoe's suffering--he is here for Rai's sake, after all--and he feels helpless.
> 
> They get into a bit of a painful-to-Konoe screaming match (it hurts a slave to yell or disagree with his bonded master physically), but Konoe insists that this isn't Rai's fault and that he is singing to Rai because he wants to. Konoe can't understand why his motives are so untrustworthy, making him think something awful must have happened to Rai in the past. Rai decides to take the argument upstairs.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: References to past sexual and physical abuse. Excessive and needless angst. And there are blow jobs in this chapter.
> 
> I'll add a chapter summary at the end.

My power has not returned to my body by the time Rai gets me back to his chamber, and his body heat is strangely warm. Maybe it’s from the bath? He sets me down on the bed, checking that my limbs are stretched out comfortably. Rai takes a seat on the edge of the mattress.

“How are you feeling? Sore? Exhausted?”

 _Frustrated_ , I want to say. But that wasn’t one of my choices. What exactly is my relationship with this silver cat? I return his gaze, still feeling pent-up desire in the core of my body—probably a result of the incubus bite on my leg. I shouldn’t have yelled, but I was so frustrated that he wasn’t hearing me—

And the look in his eye, while mixed with concern for my well-being, absolutely includes something other than concern. He’s filled with desire and need—and I consider my actions over the past 24 hours.

_I’ve been selfish._

Terribly selfish. I’ve allowed my master to serve me, but what have I done for him? I haven’t reciprocated, and I feel ashamed. It’s no _wonder_ my body is in pain!

Tears—they are constant, since that damned incubus bit me—make my vision swim, and I feel inadequate. What kind of a servant have I been to him if I can’t even meet this basic need? How—how can I fix this?

Why won’t my body move?

“Rai,” I start, but my voice gets stuck in my throat. What am I going to say? I clear my throat delicately and struggle to sit up, but I still can’t move. Let me try again! He won’t let me care for him! At least—if I could move—I know I could do what he did for me yesterday. If he wants me to wait, at least, I could—

“Rai, this isn’t right,” my words come out as a desperate-sounding plea. It’s a voice I don’t recognize. My body is hot, sweating, even after cooling off from the water, and I’m filled with desire. But I have finally realized the need I’m not meeting—the one he’s had since yesterday evening, the need I provoked and continue to provoke, and then have done nothing to fulfill. “We can’t wait.”

A sigh falls from his lips—they look so lush and full, and I want to feel them on my skin—and he speaks softly, “Didn’t we have a rather thorough discussion of this issue this morning? Your little form can’t possibly handle any more discipline for bringing this subject up again, and you agreed not to instigate this topic until that certain time.”

“Rai, I _know_ I am not fulfilling your desires—and I don’t know what else I can do!” I burst out, bringing his gaze to mine in an instant. “I know _that_ is what you want. My body knows _that_ is what you want. And when I don’t obey your wishes, it causes me pain.”

“Konoe,” my name—spoken in his voice, so tenderly—I am almost too distracted to hear his following words. Why does such a thing affect me so much? “I know you want to please me, and you _have_ pleased me. Yes, I want to have you—in _that_ way,” his gaze drops almost shyly when he admits this, and I find the mannerism unexpectedly charming, “however, I also want to wait until _you_ are ready. It is my desire to wait until your body is ready for me. I don’t want to hurt you, I don’t want you to suffer anything more than you already have.”

I watch his face closely.

“You have suffered all of this for my sake already. I cannot ask you to suffer anymore. Please, if you continue to tempt me like this, I’m afraid of what I might do. I nearly lost control of myself this morning, and it frightened you. Don’t you understand that once this bite wears off, you will have to deal with the consequences?”

“What consequences?”

Another sigh. “You may not feel the same as you do now. I do not want to take advantage—well, I _want_ to take advantage, but I don’t want you to _suffer_ because I took advantage.”

He climbs over top of my body, which quivers with pleasure when his hair brushes against my chest. 

“It’s _fine_. If you are suffering now, let me take care of it.”

“No—you can’t!” I exclaim. “That isn’t right, it isn’t fair! You’ve already done so much and have been so kind to me already, and I’ve done _nothing_ —”

“I have been taking advantage of you, while you are unable to do anything for yourself. You don’t have any way of determining which feelings are caused by the bite and which are your own true feelings. Calm yourself. It will wear off soon, and then we will revisit this conversation.”

His fingers have deftly removed the towel from my body—the one he had draped over me for warmth and modesty, and he lowers his mouth to my ears and starts grooming me, slowly, in painfully languid strokes. With him holding his body above me like this, though, it does nothing except raise my desire for him even more, and I’m frustrated that I cannot yet move my body or even reach out and touch him in return.

My breath hitches with an unexpected sob, and he stops what he is doing, noticing my tears.

Straddling my body with his knees on either side of me, he lifts up my head with his hands and licks the tears from my face.

“You seem quite frustrated,” he says quietly.

“Yes!” I manage to squeeze out the word with another stifled sob.

“It is my desire that you relax and allow me to care for you, gently and at my own pace. Just wait patiently, Konoe.”Brushing his hands through my hair, stroking my now damp ears, he asks, “Can you do that? For me?”

“Yes.” I am defeated, and my body relaxes, unwinding tension stored inside the core of my being—because I _know_ what I said was right. “But if you change your mind—”

“ _Listen_ to me.”

The tone of his voice is suddenly quite serious. Calm, but serious.

“You are aware that I have personal experience with an incubus bite?”

“You said as much,” and I realize my voice sounds slightly bitter, almost resentful, but why would that be an emotion I’m experiencing, when he is being so kind to me? He lies down next to me, pulling my back into his chest. My body spreads itself out a little as if trying to maximize the surface area that is connected to him. I still have no control over my limbs, but my body reacts on its own.

His next words are spoken into my ear, which moves the soft fur inside slightly with every breath. It feels like he is physically touching me with his words.

“I was only a little older than you, as it was a few months after my first mating season. My first heat was painful since wasn’t compatible with anyone at the castle. I suffered alone and quietly for an entire week until Bardo spoke to me about it. He told me that when you don't have a partner, you _can_ take matters into your own hands and take care of yourself that way. It helped a lot. However, I was envious of the other cats who had partners. At that time, I was very proud of how strong I was and irritated that I could suffer so much from a weakness like this in my body. I felt I should be able to control these urges.”

He sounds derisive when he speaks of his younger self. I try to imagine Rai at my age. He was beautiful and strong, even then. I’m sure he was the envy of many and suspect he probably wasn’t the only one pining for compatibility. I’m sure many cats in the castle wished they were compatible with him—I see the looks of admiration the other cats give him now. It must have been worse when he was younger.

“The devils thought I hadn’t handled myself well during the mating season. Particularly Verg and Froud wished to see me come undone, lose myself to my emotions, which didn’t happen often. So Verg used the incubus on me a few months later—I think he acquired it for that very reason. I suffered from more desire—not for a particular person, but for a physical _connection_ —than I had ever before, and more than I ever have since. I felt almost crazy, much worse than my first heat, in fact. I understand some of what you must be feeling.” 

My heart aches to hear this. He was _alone_. He had no one to care for him—only the devils to provoke him and cut him down to size. I wonder if he has ever spoken of this before.

“It was so bad I even approached Bardo for help—and yes, _that_ kind of help. Of course, he refused and tried to set me up with other cats in the castle, closer to my own age. He refused to take advantage. But before those connections came through, both Verg and Froud had a chance to corner me.”

I inhale sharply, the beautiful, image of a vulnerable young Rai shatters like glass in my mind when the devil of pleasure enters into the picture.

“My experience with Verg was excessive—he took full advantage unlike I’d ever been taken advantage of before, leaving me sobbing, desperate, even crying for more, with that strange ability of his. I never knew such excess even existed, and to think it was hiding inside of me and that devil was able to expose it scared the living shit out of me. When he was finished with me, I couldn’t even walk. I remember he physically carried me to my chamber.”

A shudder rushes through my body, and my hand comes up automatically to touch one of his covering my chest. I try squeezing it, but I can’t. I still can’t move, and I’m surprised that my body moved on its own like that. But I’m glad it did—I need to comfort him—I _wish_ I could go back in time and comfort the younger Rai.

The image of younger Rai, unable to walk, defenseless, desperate, wrecked—because of that horrible devil—fills me with rage. The only person who should be allowed to see Rai wrecked in that way is _me_. He is such a powerful and strong figure—and that image is pitiful, heartbreaking, and makes silent tears slide down my cheeks.

“The following morning, when Froud found out what Verg had done, he was _furious_. Froud was the sadistic bastard in charge of training recruits—and by that point, there were just a few left, five of us, I think, but it was clear _I_ was the favorite. However, when he had heard Verg had taken advantage of me when he hadn’t yet touched me that way, he went _ballistic_.

“Back then, the remaining recruits had been given our own rooms after going into heat—though I did not yet live in this chamber, of course—but still, it was private and my own personal space, setting me apart from the others. And in addition, I was given manner and etiquette lessons. I had only just gotten used to privacy when Froud entered my room without permission. He proceeded to violate me in every conceivable way—and brutally—while I was still recovering from Verg’s excesses the evening before.” 

“Rai...” I don’t know what else to say, but my other hand is now resting on top of his, and I can feel his body trembling slightly behind me.

“If Verg is persistent, then Froud is relentless. If Verg is excessive, Froud is brutal. If Verg is enthusiastic, Froud is cruel. I don’t need to go into details, but there is a reason you haven’t spent any time privately with that devil since you’ve been here. I was left severely wounded, bleeding, with a dislocated shoulder and several broken ribs.”

“Rai!” My heart is crying in sympathy for the pain and trauma this cat (and the younger version of him) had to suffer—and I almost want to cover my ears. My body is trembling, and I try to keep my tears silent. 

“Froud was severely reprimanded by Leaks but was not asked to leave the castle. And when I was fully healed...” there’s a deep breath behind me, a hesitation, like he doesn’t want to admit it, “I trained even harder and took my revenge.”

A stunned sound drops from my lips.

“That action is what sealed my place as Leaks’ heir, but I sacrificed more than my right eye to get it. Even now, I don’t think it was worth the price I paid, though I managed to take both of Froud's."

Froud’s eyes, his strange mask— _Rai_ was the one who took them—and more importantly, Froud was the one who took this cat’s eye? _That’s_ why he wears the eyepatch? And that devil—he’s _still_ here? Why would Leaks allow such a thing? I shiver when I think about it, recalling the interactions Froud has had with me. He sounds so harmless and cheerful but is in fact incredibly brutal. Is he perhaps waiting for the opportunity to find me alone, perhaps do something torturous to me, just to provoke Rai? I shudder thinking about it. I just had dinner with him, too.

Now, Rai’s interactions with me in the bathhouse make sense. His jealousy, his inability to trust, his exorbitant care of me. I also understand why he wouldn’t be willing to trust so easily when all of his reliable people have been taken from him, and those who should have been protecting him were doing him the most harm.

“I was also punished severely for taking revenge on Froud. That is the only time Leaks himself has ever laid hands on me. I wasn’t able to walk for three days after the evening I spent in his chamber because of the brutal beating I received. I was also subjected to lectures of what makes a good leader, and how revenge isn’t the way to hold a country together. He told me an unbelievable story about ending the world and taking his own revenge on Sisa in another timeline or some crazy stuff. But he’s a magician, so you never know if he might be telling the truth.”

He stops his story now, and there is a small pause.

“Rai, I’m so sorry,” my voice is hoarse with tears, and the words don’t communicate enough of what I want to say. "I'm so sorry you had to suffer this alone. I don't you to be alone anymore."

Another small sigh, but his body isn’t trembling anymore, he folds my hands underneath of his and strokes my chest.

“That song—the one you sang for me today in the shower—is this what you were trying to tell me?”

“Could you hear a meaning behind it?” My ears perk up slightly.

“The melody, when it reached my ears, it felt so warm and welcoming—like your voice did the first time I spoke to you in your cell, even though you were exhausted and angry. But this felt like you were saying I’d never be alone again. Your song, and its meaning, it sank into my heart as well.”

I snuggle up close in his arms—and I think _I’m_ actually doing it this time, not just my body acting on its own, breathing a sigh of relief.

“That is _exactly_ what I was trying to say.”

I hear a satisfied purring in my ears, and his tongue comes out to groom them once more. He must really like my ears—or else they look very messy. Why does he groom them so much? I try to relax in his arms, but with each stroke of his tongue, I find a small shiver going through my body, and this wasn’t happening before. Is it my imagination, or is he grooming me a little more roughly than usual?

Still, I try to remain still—which is easy, considering the fact that my body won’t move, and I feel his tongue on my nape, slowly creeping down my spine. His movements aren’t calm, however—they _are_ much rougher than his usual relaxing grooming style, and I can’t seem to stop my body from trembling or occasionally sighing or even gasping.

When his tongue reaches my tail, my ears twitch.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“I’m grooming you, of course. Just be still,” and the commanding sound of his voice doesn’t do much to quell my desire. He spends a lot of time licking the fur at the base of my tail before moving down toward the more sensitive tip.

I didn’t know exactly _how_ sensitive my tail was, exactly—until he pops the tip into his mouth. I can’t stifle the moan of pleasure that comes out of my mouth.

“Rai...”

I feel the vibration of his purr rumbling my bones, and a deep contentment comes over me at the sensation. But I want to soothe him, too, his soft fluffy tail brushing my hip.

My ability to move is slowly returning—I can tell the next time my body jerks, and I move suddenly and swiftly, curling around in his arms and pushing him against the mattress. I move my mouth against his stomach—his abs are so nicely sculpted. I’m amazed a cat this beautiful would be interested in me—and I _finally_ get to groom the silver tuft of fur just below his navel. 

I keep all my body weight on his legs, trying to keep him from pushing me off, starting with leisurely strokes of my tongue, but I’m too eager. I’m _much_ too eager for this.

His tail is thumping wildly and uncharacteristically next to my body, brushing my side gently, and I grab it firmly in my hand and start stroking as soon as I move my mouth lower. I plant soft kisses on the pale skin of his hips—he is as eager for me as I am for him, I can see—and I suddenly feel myself losing my orientation. 

He turns my body around and turns onto his side, tipping me off of him, so he has better access to my lower half. A sense of desperation comes over me—because if he starts kissing me, I’m afraid of losing control and biting or nipping him. And so, without thinking I take as much of his length into my mouth as I can, keeping my throat as open and relaxed as possible. I still need one of my hands to guide him into my mouth, but the other is massaging his tail at the base. 

I can feel his response—a long, slow, almost relieved-sounding moan—right against my own dick, as he lowers his mouth on me. I have to struggle not to close my mouth or let my jaw lock—but my body tingles with pleasure.

He has a hand on my tail, too, stroking the hooked tip, and the other pressing against my ass, slipping dangerously between my cheeks, making my heart flutter with fear and excitement.

My breath picks up, and I pick up my enthusiasm as well, making strong strokes with my tongue, hollowing my cheeks and using my hand where I can’t reach. The sighs, hums, and moans coming from my mouth must be vibrating against him because he’s responding in kind and working me up into a frenzy. Saliva drips down my mouth and chin, along with thick, transparent drops from Rai’s dick—and having him in my mouth makes me realize I could _perhaps_ accommodate him in another part of my body as well.

And just as that thought crosses my mind, I feel a damp finger pushing against my entrance—which still remembers the excitement and fear from this morning. A second finger is added almost immediately—maybe too quickly, and I wince a little but quickly become accustomed. The hooking motion seems to know exactly where to go, and when he brushes that secret spot inside my body, a cool sensation shivers up my spine, paralyzing me with pleasure. I moan loudly around the cock in my mouth, which plumps, even more, when I moan—unable to control myself.

My dick in his mouth, his dick in mine, and two of his fingers on me—I realize he is still quite a bit bigger than I am, and there seems to be a lot more control in my mouth than at my other end. But the feelings that come from deep within my body—I had no _idea_ there was even such a spot inside of me—the intensity, the feeling it brings of connection—it’s making me feel a little crazy.

I’m glad my mouth is occupied because those thoughts intrude again— _I want him inside me_. And they do not subside. I’m afraid if I release his dick from my mouth I will actually say the words out loud again. I wonder—is it my desire or a result of the incubus?

I realize Rai is subtly thrusting his hips—moving slowly, flexing his gluteus beneath my hand—and I move my hand back to his dick for better control. I’m slightly afraid of choking, but I try to stay relaxed as I feel my own surge approaching.

I try to give him a warning and pull my hips away, but he doesn’t release me. My voice becomes almost frantic, my motions almost frenzied, when my vision goes white—I can hear myself screaming with pleasure when I finally come in his mouth. My body is flooded with instant relief—I’d forgotten I’d been hanging onto this since this morning. Waves of pleasure course through my body and out to my limbs and relax my mouth, jaw, and throat even more.

His hips stuttering under my hand, just after my own climax—and I hear and feel a sigh of relief and pleasure from his mouth against my lower half, and he nuzzles his head against my belly, slowly grooming the fur just below my navel, rumbling with an even louder, wetter purr than I’ve heard from him.

Something changes in my body once _he_ has climaxed. There’s a _different_ kind of relief—like I’ve finally unclenched my jaws, or let my shoulders relax, or dropped my guard. Is it because his body is finally rested and pleased? Is that the sensation I’m feeling right now? Is this from the incubus?

Perhaps he needed to talk, but I think mostly, he needed a connection, perhaps this _physical_ connection, and didn’t know how to express his need or his desire. I too continue grooming the silver fur below his navel, but with a surprising effect. Each time my tongue glides across his fur, his belly curves inward just a little and his skin shivers, as though he is trying to escape my touch, but he isn’t struggling or trying to get away.

It feels like he might be ticklish.

When I think such a thing, I become a little curious and brush my nose lightly against his hips, and that makes him twitch. What is this reaction? I _know_ he wasn’t doing this before. I lower my eyelashes against the unprotected pale skin of his hip and blink slowly several times, and goosebumps traverse his skin in response. 

I think he’s trying to stifle his response, but now I am sure. He is ticklish!

I feel like I’ve discovered a _secret_ —an incredible, precious secret—one only _I_ know. I don’t think he has ever let his guard around me enough to reveal this kind of vulnerability. I know I should just let it go, and keep it to myself, but I find his response hard to resist, so I keep licking him, fluttering my eyelashes, and nuzzling my nose and hair across his body. I _love_ seeing his reaction.

However—I’ve forgotten I’m equally vulnerable, and I feel a hand on my tail, and his fingers skating across my sit spot—just lightly, just his fingertips. It’s such a soft movement, so slow, I can almost feel his fingerprints on me. The caress makes my entire body jerk rather wildly.

I’ve been discovered.

I _know_ I’ve been discovered when my body is moved gently from where I was glued to his thighs, and instead pressed firmly to his chest. I flutter my eyelashes against his chest, and I feel a chuckle rumbling beneath my ears.

“Nice try, but nope. I’m not ticklish there.”

I glance up at his face, which I haven’t seen in a while. Next time, I want to see his face when we connect like this. It looks much younger, much softer, much more relaxed, with that beautiful easy smile. 

“You are a bundle of energy. I was sure I’d wear you down with the sword training today. Tomorrow, I won’t hold back so much.”

“You were holding back?” I know he was, but I want to know how much.

“I didn’t want to discourage you. But at the same time, I couldn’t help myself. I found myself wanting to touch you, even during the swordplay.”

I rest my head back down on his chest. I’m sure that was only because those revealing my leather pants.

His hands caress my back, but occasionally drop down to my sit spot, brushing his fingertips against me lightly. A small shiver rushes through my body when he does this, and of course, I remember how he touched me there earlier today—not at _all_ like he is doing now.

“You’re still a little pink. I think I was too rough with you. I didn’t think I even spanked you that hard,” Rai’s voice trails off slightly. “Perhaps all the blood was pooled there for some reason.” 

I barely hear this comment, but I’m already mostly asleep on his chest, letting the slow rising and falling of his even breathing lull me to sleep, listening to the easy rhythm of his heart. I cannot remember the last time I felt so content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rai brings a paralyzed Konoe (due to his Sanga shower singing) back upstairs to his chambers. Konoe is all angsty and in pain, thinking it's because he should have sex with Rai, "serve" him somehow, and he's failed to do so.
> 
> Rai is slightly irritated with Konoe's angsty behavior and tells him to just relax and wait it out. Yes, he wants to fuck him, but he wants to wait till Konoe is actually able to consent to that act. Rai feels like all Konoe's suffering is his doing since Leaks brought him here for his sake in the first place.
> 
> Then, he tells Konoe of his own experience of the incubus bite. A few months after the mating season (his first, in which he did not have a partner and was frustrated till Bardo told him he could take care of his own needs, duh, Rai), Verg acquire an incubus to take Rai down a notch. Basically, Rai was abused by Verg and then assaulted by Froud, who broke ribs and dislocated a shoulder, among other things. While Froud was reprimanded by Leaks, he wasn't asked to leave the castle. Once Rai recovered, he planned and took revenge on Froud--which resulted in Froud losing both his eyes and Rai losing one of his. While Rai was punished by Leaks for this act, he was also granted to the title of the heir shortly thereafter.
> 
> After hearing this story, Konoe is very feely and sad and understands why Rai won't trust anyone, and then is groomed rather roughly by Rai. Once his ability to move comes back, they suck each other off. Both feel much better after sex.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Well, there's consensual sex in this chapter. It's mating season, finally. Also, references to past sexual violence.

The weather is different when I wake in the morning. It’s either different or else Rai has built a raging fire. I’m so uncomfortable I can hardly stand it. I’m aching—my body, my head, my throat—and I barely manage to open my eyes. I see the vision that is Rai sitting at a small table, and he seems to be preparing food.

It’s an awfully domesticated thing for him to be doing, this business of preparing food. If he really is the earl, shouldn't he have someone else to do this for him?

Just as this thought crosses my mind, he happens to look up and meet my gaze—and a pleased smile crosses his handsome features. He looks so handsome when he smiles.

After hearing his story yesterday, I realize several things about this cat.

  * He has had a tragic upbringing—much more tragic than my own.
  * He had to become incredibly strong to overcome his tragic upbringing.
  * He hesitates to trust those around him, but not because he is weak. It’s a conditioned response. His caretakers taught him not to trust anyone. Those devils carefully taught him not to trust anyone but himself.
  * He is opening himself up to me, and my song gives me a unique chance to connect to his heart directly. I can’t lie with my song—he can see my true feelings when I sing to him.



Rai stands up and approaches the bed with the lovely tray of food, and it smells so good. But as he comes up to me, my symptoms seem to worsen very suddenly. My body seems to almost seize up with heat and fever, sweat breaking out on my skin, my head throbbing, my joints aching. What _is_ this? Is this another effect of the incubus bite?

Rai notices my discomfort immediately, setting the tray down next to me on the mattress quickly, his face full of concern.

“Are you all right? You look ill,” his voice is full of worry. He reaches a hand up to feel my ears—as though to check my temperature—and the touch of his hand is cool against them, but at the same time, an electric shock, like static electricity runs through me at his gentle touch. It startles me, and I gasp, eyes flying open when I gaze at him. 

“What _was_ that?” I cannot keep the fear from my voice.

“Ah, I wondered as much last night,” Rai murmurs softly, continuing to stroke my ears gently, and continuing to make that static electricity crackle through my body wherever we touch. While it starts at my ears where his hands touch me, it tingles down through my shoulders and along my spine and pools rather heavily in my hips and waist, though I know he only means to check my temperature. “You are burning up, poor thing. Does it hurt, your body?” 

He gently moves the tray of food off the bed, to the side table, and then scoots a little closer to me, a strange look coming over his eye. I nod, swallowing thickly.

“Your joints ache like you have the flu?”

“I think I may have caught a cold,” I explain.

“This is no cold,” Rai murmurs, lowering his face to my ears, inhaling my scent deeply at my ears, and I hear a contented sigh and a rumbling purr coming from the larger cat. What does he mean to do? He is frightening me a little.

“I feel sick,” I answer. “I must have just overdone things yesterday.”

“That may be true, but this—your symptoms—your scent—the way we tingle when we touch,” Rai reaches out a finger to brush just the hooked tip of my agitated tail, and another shock courses through my tail and directly to my hips. I cannot suppress a gasp of pleasure in response, “the way you are responding to my touch, and the way I respond to yours, it’s _not_ an illness.”

Wait—he feels the same? I reach out and touch his ear with my fingertip, and feel a singeing heat beneath it, and his ear twitches agitatedly, but he does not flinch away. Instead, he pushes his head into my hand.

“What—”

“It seems mating season has come a little early this year, little one—thank the gods,” Rai murmurs. “You are in heat, and it appears we,” a deep breath followed with a sigh now, “we are _quite_ compatible.” The words are followed by another sigh, directed into my ear, and his rough tongue, which feels overwhelming with those strange shocking sensations, all shooting down my spine and into my hips. My body shivers with delight, and I am _so_ hot.

“I’m in heat?” Mating season? I can hardly believe it—though I remember what he told me earlier, and I am anxious. The bite on my leg is throbbing, but I hardly notice it from the overwhelming sensation of Rai’s attention to my ears.

“Finally.” The word is breathed with such relief, delight, and passion, I hardly recognize Rai’s voice. He _wants_ me, like _that_ , to connect to me in a way he hasn’t allowed himself to do since I’ve been with him, in spite of the way I have been begging for it since I have been in his arms. 

“Is this early?”

“For me, yes, a little. Possibly from the incubus bite, or because we have been touching in other ways. Don’t think too much about it. When you are in heat, your body acts a little differently than usual. Things that might normally be painful aren’t during the mating season, so you can act on things that make you just feel good.”

“It won’t hurt?”

“Konoe,” Rai lowers his face from my ears to capture my gaze. “I can make your symptoms better. I want to—more than _anything_ —I want to love this little body of yours till you can’t speak, till you can’t move, till you can’t stand it. But—I know you might be afraid. I don’t want to force you. That bite makes things complicated. I don’t want you to do anything just because you think _I_ want this. What is it that  _you_ want?”

“I-I want you to touch me,” I say. “I _am_ afraid, but I want this. I want to connect with you like this.” I want to please him, too—there is a yearning in my body that wants to please him, but I push those yearnings aside for now.

“Will you take me inside you, Konoe?” Rai asks, meeting my eye.

“Um—yes! Please—I want that! Please.” I’m afraid, yes, but he asked for my permission—my _master_ asked for my permission. More than anything, I want to be able to give this to him.

“If I do anything that hurts you, I want you to tell me, and I will stop. I will _try_ to stop.” He gently brushes my sweaty bangs from my forehead, and then lowers his lips to mine, gently.

I’m already naked, but Rai is not. He stands up for a moment after kissing me. I can’t pull my eyes away. I cannot get used to the sight of him—his body—as he pulls his shirt off overhead without unbuttoning it, impatiently discarding it on the floor. I see a fine layer of sweat shimmering on his skin—it sparkles, and it’s beautiful. It looks almost silver. I find his body perfect—but today—it seems more attractive than ever.

I feel so hot and his body looks cool, pale, silver—it looks like he would quench my thirst—such a strange feeling. I want him, and I realize I’ve sat up to watch him undress.

His eyebrows are raised slightly at my response, and he unbuckles his belt and tears it from his waist, discarding it on the floor. Then he slowly unbuttons his breeches and turns around, glancing at me over his shoulder, watching me, as he slowly slides them off his hips, his fluffy tail swaying in a wide arc behind him.

Gods, what a gorgeous ass!

“Come on,” I urge. “Don’t tease me.”

“We have all day, little one,” he replies, a small smile playing on the corners of his mouth.

“No—don’t tease. Not today—I can’t—” And I realize I am actually in pain, especially when a slightly strange noise leaks from my lips. I need to touch him.

He moves to the bed quickly, nude now—a flash of silver fur—a look of concern on his face when he takes me into his arms.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I forgot. Your body can be pretty uncomfortable the first time you go into heat. I’ve heard that the more sensitive you are the more the heat will cause painful symptoms—and it probably doesn’t help that you’re also suffering from that bite. Are you hurting, Konoe?”

I push my nose into the space between his neck and his shoulder and inhale his scent—and that alone seems to quench some of the heat inside me, quelling some of the aches in my body. However, at the same time, something else raises its head within me, something foreign and very frightening. What is this? Desire? But desire like I have never experienced it before. I want to be touched—I need to be held—and I want Rai to touch me and hold me, and I want it right _now_.

I feel a low growl coming from deep within my body, and my claws draw reflexively, and my fangs are bared. I cannot control myself.

Rai easily grabs both of my wrists and pins them over my head with one of his hands, pushing me down roughly against the mattress, attacking my lips, ignoring my fangs. Well, he doesn’t _ignore_ my fangs. He returns my growl—which makes my fur bristle and my body shiver in delight—and I feel his tongue tantalizingly stroking the tips of my fangs, making me growl even louder.

“You thought you would bare fangs at your master, did you?” He sounds like he is teasing, even through his own growl.

“I can’t help it,” I say—and I look away. I’m embarrassed. I cannot control myself. “I don’t know what’s come over me.”  
  
I feel my chin being tipped in his direction, so I meet his gaze. His pale blue eye is full of passion.

“Don’t worry. It’s _hot_. I like it. Growl as much as you like,” the words are almost whispered, and then he attacks my ears—and another growl comes out of my mouth—or is it a loud purr? I can’t even tell. Do cats growl when they are passionate? I didn’t know about that. What am I doing? Why can’t I control myself! This is embarrassing!

His touch feels so different from usual. I love it when he grooms my ears—I _always_ love it—usually, this playful aggressive grooming tickles a little or it feels comforting, but this is _not_ tickling today. Today—I can feel both his top and bottom lips—and I can tell exactly when and where his tongue touches me, I can tell when his fangs graze me or if it’s his other teeth that graze my ear. I can hear each breath he takes as he’s grooming me, or if he lets out a quiet sigh. Every little touch tingles down the length of my spine and pools at my hips. It’s making my body shake and shiver—and it’s overwhelming.

I find myself purring and growling in response—uncontrollably, again, much to my surprise. Rai takes my ear into his mouth, sucking it in entirely, and then he inserts his tongue deep into my ear, licking the downy fur inside carefully. The sensation makes me quiver; my shoulder reflexively pulls up in response to the unexpected pleasure, and a gasping sigh comes out of my mouth—one I fail to repress. I hear Rai make a strange sound, too—he hums right in my ear and he starts to purr. His purr resonates in my body—shaking my insides down to my bones.

It feels so good.

This touch is fanning the heat inside me—working me up, making me sweat, arousing me fiercely. I want to be touched more—and Rai’s touch to my ear is not enough.

“Please,” I beg. “More—I need more.” My voice is quiet, desperate. And jeez, _what_ did I just say? Did those words really just come out of my mouth? I blush ferociously.

“Oh?” It’s whispered in my ear, as Rai releases my wrists he has kept pinned overhead. “More _what_ , exactly?” 

Is he really going to make me say it?

“Mmm,” I murmur, embarrassed now.

“Do you want me to touch you?” Rai murmurs deep into my ear. “Do you want me to stroke you? Kiss you? Do you want to feel me inside you?”

Hearing him talking like that makes the fur on my body stand on end—all the fur on my ears and my tail responds at once—even the fur below my navel stands straight up. I can’t help it. He’s making me feel such anticipation, and I’m much too eager.

“Aren’t you usually the one begging to feel me inside you?” he whispers quietly, his voice soft and sexy, ruffling my fur. I feel a hand at the base of my tail. “Now’s the time. Come on, let me hear your voice. I want to hear you.”

I’m not sure what I should do, but hearing him talk like this is making my ears twitch—and among other parts of my body that are twitching. A hand sinks down my belly, below my waist, cupping my groin—and I let out another uncontrolled, lewd-sounding moan, mixed with an animalistic growling sound. I find my claws extending again—what’s with this? Why are my claws coming out? I don’t understand. 

However—since I have them handy—I drag my right hand, fingers spread and claws extended, ever so slowly down Rai’s throat—lightly, though—not hard enough to scratch—leaving a light trail that I follow with my left claws in the same way. I watch them, carefully tracing a path over his Adam’s apple, which moves slightly—he must be suppressing a sound just now. Then I move lower, up and down his collarbones, and then lower still—down his broad chest and finely defined abdomen. The muscles curve in slightly in response to the touch of my claws—he is hovering above me in the bed—when I reach his navel.

I comb through that soft, silver fur with my claws—I seem unable to retract my claws at this point—and I feel my fangs poking through my lips, too, and feel another rumbling growl in my chest—what is it that I’m feeling? Possessiveness, perhaps? I don’t quite understand the feelings I am experiencing. Animalistic desire, for sure. I _want_ him. I want to feel this cat—and I feel a little fear as well.

“Tell me what you want,” I hear it whispered in my ear. He is prompting me again. “Tell me how you want to be touched.” He stops the touch on my groin.

Shivers rush through my body as his words are followed by his tongue, and he grabs the base of my tail, massaging it firmly, and he snuggles up next to me in the bed—behind me—so I can’t touch him with my claws anymore. He wraps his arms around my chest, his mouth at my ear.

“Tell me what you want.”

At first, I don’t think I can, and I feel a blush rising in my cheeks and my ears, and I take a deep breath. My voice is the only thing I can use to touch him at this point—and that is what he wants. So, I open my mouth. 

“I want to feel your hands on me.”

Before I continue, I swallow and take another breath, gathering my courage.

“Your hands—they feel so large and safe. You could hurt me with your hands, but I trust them. I trust _you_. I love the feel of your hands up and down the length of my body. I can even feel your fingerprints, you know.”

There’s a short pause.

“And?”

“I want you to kiss me.”

“Where?”

“My mouth—and anywhere else you desire.”

“And?”

“I want to touch you—I want to stroke the soft fur below your belly button.”  
  
“That’s quite specific.” I hear a smile in his voice, and I can feel his upturned lips against my ear.

“There won’t be any pinning my hands overhead or restraining my hands today, because I want to touch you, too. I want to _see_ you, too. I want to welcome you inside me. I want to take you inside me—there—today. Finally.” My face is burning.

“Your ears are so delightfully pink.” I still feel him smiling as he licks the tips of my ears. “What else?”

“You want more? Isn't that enough? Can’t you just be surprised?”

“I just want to _hear_ you,” Rai whispers, brushing my ears softly. “I’m still a little nervous to do this with you because of your incubus bite. But I will be very gentle, Konoe.”

All my fur ruffles up when he says my name. I _love_ hearing him my name in _that_ voice. It makes me feel so good—and he immediately notices my response.

“What was that? In response to me being gentle with you? Were you so afraid I'd take you roughly?”

“N-no,” I respond shyly. “I just like to hear you say my name.”

“Ah, you do? I didn’t know that—well, I thought you might, but I didn’t realize how much you liked it.” There’s a short pause, during which my ears are gently groomed a little bit more—it’s making me tingle in a way that usually doesn’t happen when Rai grooms me, and it’s making my heart race. “So, how about this: why don’t we get started? If I do something you don’t want or dislike, just let me know. You can say something or perhaps better, maybe stop my hand. I’ll do my best to stop. But give me plenty of warning. I tend to get a little carried away when I’m in heat, too.”

He’s feeling the same? He desires me, too? The thought makes me shiver—down to my bones again—and a deep wet purr starts up from inside me once again, replacing the growling that was coming out earlier. It sounds almost lewd—if a purr can be lewd, this one most definitely is. I blush in spite of myself.

My mouth is dry and my body is already hot—and I really do feel slightly ill, like I have a fever, and I’m quite nervous.

I turn to look at Rai, and he turns my body around in his arms, laying me down flat on the bed and hovering over me again.

“What is it, Konoe?” He said my name again. Just that soothes me, I realize. I love it. 

“I think I am a little bit nervous.”

“That’s all right. I am, too.” 

I smile—almost giggling. That doesn’t exactly make me feel confident—I was _almost_ hoping to hear some overbearing, unrealistic confidence, perhaps along the lines of, “Leave _everything_ to me and you will be fine.” But in some ways, this gentleness is much more sensitive and realistic. I like this side of Rai very much. It’s unexpected, and I’m shocked he’s allowed me to see it.

Rai pulls me close to him, my chest to his chest—as much of our hot skin touching as possible—and he’s dragging his fingertips across my back slowly, occasionally dropping them lower, teasing the base of my tail, which responds with a slight stiffening jerk. My rapid breathing slows slightly as I listen to his strong, steady heart rate. It’s comforting, and he smells so good—I mean, he always smells good to me—but today, his scent is a little different. It’s sweet and strong, comforting. And while I say I’m relaxing in his arms, that isn’t entirely true. Parts of me are relaxing, but part of me—mainly, my lower half—are most definitely not relaxing. They are filling with blood and becoming more active.

You’d think I’d become even hotter or more uncomfortable while in his arms—but I don’t. Even though he is warm, too, it’s like being held by him is fulfilling the need my body is demanding from me. It’s calming me down, settling my nerves. And listening to his heart, having him stroke me gently, having him pet me and caress me gently like this to start—it calms both of us down a little. 

He tips his head down, and uses his fingers to tilt my chin up to meet his lips—kissing me deeply. Even his taste is a little different, much to my surprise. He tastes good to me—sweet, almost—and I find myself wanting more, more, more—which completely undoes the relaxation that Rai was probably intending earlier. 

I interrupt the kiss to ask about it. 

“You taste so good. I mean, I love how you taste usually, but today—it’s different. Is it because of the heat?”

“It is,” Rai says. “I noticed that, too. I keep wanting to kiss you. You taste like honey to me, Konoe.” Rai moves to takes my lips again, brushing against my top and bottom lips, sweeping across my teeth, and then pushing his tongue inside. He does taste good—and then he deepens the angle of the kiss. I melt into the touch of his tongue inside my mouth—and I can’t think of anything else when I feel his tongue exploring my mouth. Well, that’s not entirely true. I am thinking that _another_ part of him will be exploring _another_ part of me in a way in a similar fashion, in a way that he hasn’t yet done, and I shiver in anticipation. 

“Ho? What’s this? You need to stop this shivering,” Rai whispers against my mouth. “It’s turning me on too much. You’re making me want to do things to you.”

“What kinds of things?” I breathe against his lips—nearly unable to catch my breath. I’m already completely naked, and I’m starting to feel rather vulnerable here. 

“Oh… I don’t know. Perhaps starting to explore various parts of you that I don’t know very well just yet,” Rai murmurs. From the corner of my eye, I see his hand reach over to the side table, and there’s a small jar over there that I hadn’t noticed before. He grabs it and unscrews the lid deftly, scooping out some of the cream inside on his fingers.

Then—his fingers wrap around my already erect cock—and I feel the strangest sensation. The cream is cold but his fingers are hot—and the touch is so smooth, so slick—artificially slick and smooth—and the temperature combination oddly soothing and so unexpected. I have to close my eyes and I melt into the touch with an uncontrolled sobbing gasp, stuttering slightly and canting my hips forward. 

“Wh-what is that?” I stammer, once I am able to breathe and speak coherently.

“Oh—it will help you be a little more comfortable, I think,” Rai murmurs, continuing his languid stroking. His other hand scoops up a small amount of the cream as well and moves to my rear, and I start to sweat profusely. He’s touched me here before, and I liked it—he’s never hurt me—but I’m still terribly nervous. My tail lowers to protect myself, but it’s easily moved aside, and I’m kissed deeply—I think he’s probably trying to distract me—which works quite well, in fact—and then I feel a finger slipping between my cheeks, pressing at my entrance.

I think I hear Rai growling almost impatiently—and I expect a little pain or resistance when his finger enters me—but once it slips past the ring of muscles, I don’t experience anything except a wonderful, tingling pleasurable sensation. I feel my insides swallowing up his finger immediately, pulsing around his slender finger, drawing him in further. He feels slightly cool to the touch, and I wonder if my insides feel warm, surrounding him like this. 

He is pressing around inside me, stroking my inner walls gently, exploring inside and gently widening the inner passage, while continuing to stroke my dick gently—which is amazingly arousing as well. But strangely—I think he could stop stroking my front if he wanted—his finger inside me feels so strangely good. In fact, all I can think about is adding another—I want to be filled by him. It’s so weird—I didn’t know this about myself—and all I can think is it must be because of the heat, because of the bite, and because it’s Rai doing this to me. 

In fact, I find my ears twitching from excessive noise in the room, and indeed, it’s _my_ voice thatis coming out—and as I listen, I realize I’m pleading.

“Please, please,” I hear myself saying, in between sighs and gasps. “Rai, please. More—please, more.”

My ears heat up as soon as I realize what I’m saying—I’m _so_ embarrassed—how can I be saying something like this? What is wrong with me? Who am I, anyway? Ugh! I lower my face in shame, and then I am kissed again.

“You have the sweetest voice,” Rai murmurs. “It looks like you just now realized that _you_ were the one making noise and you’re ashamed—but don’t be.”

“I didn’t—until I listened. And now—I am so sorry—I _am_  ashamed,” I admit, unable to look at him.

Rai deliberately meets my gaze. “It’s so sexy. I love it. Let it out—no one can hear you in here. It’s just you and me, and I _love_ the sound of your voice.”

And he adds another finger—which doesn’t just double the pleasure but seems to increase it exponentially, and he starts to scissor me apart inside. I can’t speak for the pleasure I’m experiencing—and I am so aroused my voice almost sounds like I am crying.

“Ah, Rai…” And then, I feel him brush against that small, secret spot inside me, and a chill runs through my body—it makes me freeze for a moment, even my voice—and I don’t know what to do. The pleasure is so great, almost like falling from a cliff. My stomach does a little flip inside of me before I can breathe again. It is the strangest sensation. And then I let out my breath.

And then—I realize—I need him inside of me.

“You—I want you—I need you inside of me—now. Please. No more teasing. Please!” My voice covered in tears, close to desperation. “Please—don’t tease me. Come inside me!”

“Shh, hush,” Rai says, and his fur is fully bristled. He looks so good—his voice sounds so good—and he smells so good—but is he bristled because I am talking like this? Could I be having this effect on him?

Rai pulls his fingers from me, gently, and places a pillow quickly beneath my hips. He bends me in half and folds my knees against my chest—and then suddenly, I’m covered with his hair. It’s softly brushing against me, taking my breath away. Also—I’m trapped beneath his body weight—and even if I changed my mind at this point, I couldn’t get away now.

I feel his heat at my entrance—much larger, so much hotter, so much harder than his fingers—demanding—and he presses himself against me, but gently and slowly—and I feel my body spreading open for him. There is an incredible pressure—and a shot of fear goes through me again, when I think about his size and my size and what is about to happen—what if I tear? Does that even happen? But strangely, I feel no pain. This must be because of the season? 

Instead—as I feel him pressing inside of me, I feel an indescribable pleasure—it’s as if he’s filling a place in my heart that I didn’t know what there—except this is not a hole in my _heart_ , quite obviously. I didn’t know he was missing from me—it’s as though he is the missing puzzle piece.

My body starts to shake and shudder, and he meets my gaze carefully, stroking my body as he continues to slowly penetrate me, kissing my lips and my cheeks and my nose.

“Are you all right?” he asks, his voice extremely soft and sexy. “I am not hurting you, am I?”

“Uh—I-I a-am fine,” I answer, another shiver going through my body. Perhaps it’s also the incubus bite, his wish finally being fulfilled is making my body feel good as well? I don’t quite understand everything, but it feels amazing. 

“Konoe, you are shaking,” he whispers again, stroking my ears gently—but I cannot stop. I don’t know if I’m shaking with fear or desire or a little of both.

I finally feel his hips resting against me, and that soft, silky fur above his navel resting just touching the sensitive part of my extremely sensitive and now stretched-out entrance—and he brushes his hands against me there, making my shoulders shiver.

“You’re so soft here, so willing, for me,” he whispers. “You feel amazing, so warm and inviting—even better than I imagined you would.”  
  
I feel like I am holding him inside of me, sharing my body with Rai. It’s a rather amazing connection. I have to trust him in order to do this—I wouldn’t want to do this with any other cat, I’m sure. Only with Rai—I don’t trust anyone else enough not to hurt me.

A flash goes through my mind—a young sixteen-year-old Rai—being taken like this, only by Verg and then Froud, one after the other—and _violently_. I suddenly can’t breathe—the thought is painful, overwhelming. He was only a child, really—he had no one on his side—to be in this position is to be vulnerable. He was forced to be vulnerable, and he was taken advantage of, subjugated and injured in the most violent way.

Tears float to the surface of my eyes and drip down my cheeks, and Rai suddenly looks at my face.

“Are you all right?”

Yes—I am fine because _he_ is all right. Because he is strong. He recovered. And now, he is here with me. I am his Sanga and his lover. And I will never let him go.

“I-I,” I stammer. “I’m just glad to be here with you. I’m so glad to be here with _you_.”

I feel his hands on me again—brushing my chest, my stomach, my waist and sides, my hips, and then—he slowly rocks his hips forward. I see stars flashing on the backs of my eyelids.

“Is that all right? Can I move?”

“Please!” I nearly cry out.

When Rai pushes his hips forward, even when only rocking slightly, I shiver with sensation. I’m not sure what to think of this—I’m completely overwhelmed with pleasure and I cry out loud. 

He puts one arm around my shoulders and one hand at the base of my tail, and both of mine are flung around his neck rather desperately. Tears spill from my eyes—reflexively, not of pain, just from the overwhelming sensations—my body is overcome with _sensation_. My fur completely bristles, and I’m purring loudly.

“Konoe,” Rai murmurs, his voice covered with a deep purr of his own. “Are you all right?”

I don’t know how to respond to this question. Then—Rai starts to move his hips a little more, pumping them against me—and the shivering starts to affect my ability to breathe, and I start to pant strangely. My lips start to tingle and feel numb—I feel a bit light headed—and Rai says, “Deep breaths, Konoe—don’t pass out on me now.”

I feel his hands in the fur on my tail, massaging my tail at the same tempo as he’s pounding into me, and I—I can’t describe the sensation. I feel completely taken—and I simply _submit_. If it were anyone else, this would be a frightening experience—I would be _terrified_. But because it’s Rai, I trust him. And it feels amazing. I trust my body to him completely—and I (perhaps foolishly) trust the sensations to him fully, and I feel myself being swept away. 

That pale blue eye is watching my face as I come undone—he’s watching me as I am overcome with pleasure—I can’t repress the sounds, I can’t suppress my voice. The pleasured sighs, the gasps, the relief—all of it spills from my lips, and I just let it come, and my eyes are wide open, and I meet his gaze when he carefully lifts one of my bent legs and drapes it over his shoulder.

He has a smile on his face—he touches me so gently—like I am something precious, something special, something fragile—yet he is pounding into me fiercely and relentlessly, changing his angle subtly with each thrust, and I am breathless and suddenly—that spot he found earlier—that special secret spot inside me—he brushes that inside of me when he thrusts up.

I inhale sharply and a noise I cannot describe leaks from my lips. It sounds almost like a wheeze—and I almost want to cry for mercy.

“ _Wait_ —no—wait— _please_ —wait—Rai—Rai— _please_!” The words tumble from my mouth, uncontrolled, and I feel a song welling up inside my body at the same time, overwhelming me with yet another new sensation. I’m filled with it—that cliff overlooking unknown pleasure seems to actually be overlooking a well of song. That song is released within my body—my bones start to vibrate, all on their own, my flesh—even around Rai’s cock inside me—my skin, and even my hair and fur—all of it vibrates to this song. It overflows into my body, about this mysterious pleasure, all about submitting myself to this mysterious pleasure.

I’m shivering with the song and the pleasure, and I feel Rai inside me—and he sighs, “Ah, Konoe!”  
  
I give him a fair warning—I can’t take this much longer once that song has started, and that spot inside me is brushed repeatedly. I’m almost screaming at this point, desperate—except that my song does it for me.

“Rai—ah—soon—”

“Just come, Konoe,” he murmurs, directly into my ear, which he licks once again—and I will never again be able to experience him licking my ear _without_ remembering this particular sensation.

I explode—absolutely explode—in an orgasm—the song reaching a crescendo, my body ringing out loudly, vibrating in melody—my skin, flesh, bones, and even my fur all bristling in the same key. Waves of pleasure crash through my body, one after the other, and my insides clench around Rai and my dick releases thick white liquid, between our stomachs. My voice cries out loud in pleasure as well—and then the relief and relaxation that follows—wave after wave—it also crashes down inside me, through my limbs, just like the pleasure did, and I relax heavily in Rai’s arms.

Rai comes inside me when I clench around him—I feel him releasing inside my body—it’s a strange warm sensation that I have never felt before—and he gasps and purrs and rides out his climax with a few additional thrusts, running his hands over my overly sensitive skin—I feel his tingling fingers across my stomach, across my back, and over my shoulders. 

He slows down and rests his head on my shoulder, lowering my leg back down so as not to pull it or injure me. He lands a few kisses on the inside of my thigh as he puts me back how I belong on the bed.

“Ah—so precious,” he whispers. “You sang for me again. That song—it was filled with so much power. Did you feel it?” 

I’m exhausted now, of course. Exhausted—from the sex, the heat, and the song. But I want to stay in his arms. I want him to touch me. As he is releasing me, I’m finding myself feeling isolated and lonely.

He is merely getting a cloth to clean me up—but I don’t care about that.

“Please,” I beg.

“What is it?” he asks.

“Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me alone. Don’t let me sleep alone. I’m so tired I can’t move,” I explain. “But I want to touch you when I sleep. Please—won’t you let me?”

I hear a soft, warm sound—and it takes me a moment to realize the sound is Rai laughing. He is actually laughing! 

“Of course. You silly thing. I’ll never let you sleep anywhere else. Let me just make sure you’re comfortable first.”

“I don’t care about comfort,” I complain.

“Ah—you will tomorrow,” Rai teases, and he uses a cloth to clean me up. It’s cold—but I cannot move. I flatten my ears when I feel it on my lower parts—it’s freezing!

“Too cold!”

“It’s all right,” Rai soothes. “It will much better tomorrow. I don’t want you to be sore, and you don't want anything accidentally glued together. I’m afraid I wasn’t as gentle with you as I should have been.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “It felt so good!” I curl up in his arms, and Rai starts grooming my ears.

“I’m glad, but I still worry you may be sore tomorrow.” 

“I’m fine,” I say. It feels so good to be with him here, right now. This is where I belong. My heart is in the right place.

For just a flash—I think of things Verg, Froud and Razel have said about doing this act with me—just a flash of the threats they have made rushes through my mind—and I push them right back out.  
  
I will _not_ think of that now.

Tonight I am with _Rai_ , and I belong here. I am safe right here, and no one can take me from this place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's morning, and Konoe wakes up in heat. Mating season has visited the pair early, much to Rai's delight.
> 
> However--Rai gets Konoe's consent (holy shit!) before simply helping himself to the little Sanga in his bed, and they share a rather nice, intimate time together.
> 
> This chapter took a lot longer to write than I expected. I'm not exactly sure why--I think probably because I gave Rai an OOC background with the devils, and now his character is different. I'm sorry if it disappoints, but I rewrote it twice because it didn't quite ring true to what these two characters were doing. I realize these two are quite different than the characters in Lamento BTV, but that's the nature of fanfics, isn't it?


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: violence, non-con touching, rape.
> 
> This chapter was really unpleasant to write. But therapeutic. I've left a summary at the bottom if you want to skip it.

I haven’t slept like that in years. I wake rested and well, snuggled soundly in Rai’s arms. I wake with the urge to stretch, but I’m not sure if Rai is awake yet—his breathing is slow and even behind me—and I feel bad waking him. 

Despite my best attempts to be still, I must be moving around, because his voice suddenly startles me.

“Ho? Are you finally awake? How did you sleep? Are you feeling all right? Are you sore? Hungry?”

I am a little hungry, actually. But before I can reply, my stomach growls loudly.

“Let me get some food. I didn’t want to leave you while you were sleeping. You shouldn't wake up alone after a night like that.” I feel a soft kiss on the tip of my ear. It feels so natural. I don’t want him to go, either.

“Shall I help?”

“No, just rest. You may still be tired. Your body needs as much rest as it can get, after all.”

When Rai gets up to dress, I stretch out long and lean on the bed, and he’s right. I am a little sore. Mostly my muscles are sore, however. I don’t mind so much—the wonderful relaxed feeling from yesterday is still lingering in my brain.

“I’ll see what I can scrounge up in the kitchen,” Rai whispers into my ear—and I realize he’s only whispering to make another chance to kiss me before he leaves. It makes me feel loved, and I lap it up.

He glances at me, slightly suspicious, as I turn over on the bed. “You’re sore, aren’t you?” 

“Oh, um—I’m fine.”

I’ve slipped under the blanket, and Rai squeezes my ass through the blanket. It hurts—even though he hasn’t squeezed very hard. I wince before I can stop myself.

“You’re sore,” he says again. He runs his hands down my thighs, also on top of the blanket, and he presses the insides of them. They hurt as well, and I flinch.

“Ah! Well, yes. A little,” I confess.

“Just rest,” Rai says. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I cuddle up in the bed, and after I hear the door close, I swap my pillow for Rai’s, and I bury my nose in it. It smells like him—so good. So comforting.

Before I can drift back to sleep, I hear a knock at the door. Weird—he just left—did he forget something?

Pulling the blanket with me, I get up and open the door. I’m already speaking when I’m pulling the door open.

“Did you forget your shoes or something? That was fast!”

I’m suddenly pushed back into the chamber, and the door closes behind me. This—this isn’t Rai. I fall back to the floor, but before I hit the ground, the person who pushed me, and followed me inside, kneels down and catches me easily. _Fast. Really fast reflexes._

I blink several times in surprise, unaware of what’s just happened.

“You’re not—”

“No.” The voice isn’t as deep as Rai’s, and the creature—for it isn’t a cat—is peering directly at my face from close up. “I’m not the white kitty. He left you here. Alone. Unprotected.”

I inhale sharply. The lime green hair reflects in the corners of my vision, and the black mask that obscures his face hides his true intentions.

“Froud,” I say, stunned. “What—why—what do you want?” I immediately start to struggle, suddenly aware of my vulnerability—I’m weak, naked, sore, powerless.

“I came for _you,_ little kitty. I came to collect your debt.”

“Debt? What—”

“Ah—don’t tell me you don’t remember! You said you would do anything to find out what the white kitty’s true desire was, that night in the dining room.” Froud is smiling, his voice almost cheerful, but very quiet. 

“Wh-what do you want with me?” My teeth start to chatter. I’m afraid of this devil. He truly frightens me.

“Not here. You will be coming with me to discuss the arrangements. Now is as good of a time as any. Don’t fuss now. Not a sound from you, or I will take your precious white kitty’s remaining eye. He owes me as well.”

I can barely breathe. Froud wraps me in the blanket and steals out of Rai’s chambers quickly—down the hall, down a few flights of stairs. I may be wrapped in the blanket, but I can feel the sticky leather gloved hand against my body where he holds me—as though he has deliberately placed his hands under the blanket.

He reaches his chambers and waves his hand in front of the door. It opens, and he enters. It’s dark in here—no windows perhaps? Or the windows are covered? I can’t see _anything_.

I’m dropped on the floor unceremoniously, landing with a hard thud. I pull the blanket over my body, and I hear Froud chuckle.

“Like that is going to help you even a little bit, Nekochan.”

My heart is racing in my ears. This place is evil—it smells evil, it feels evil. It’s so dark in here I cannot see anything.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“You were very obedient along the way. I almost feel like I should give you a reward,” I feel a hand stroking my ear, gently. His voice sounds as though it’s coming from behind me, but I cannot see him. I whip my head around and see nothing.

“Ah, Razel was correct. You have indeed inherited your father’s night vision. It’s unusual for Ribika not to be able to see in the dark, isn’t it?” Another stroke, this one to my other ear. I flinch and duck my head, unable to get away. “It must be frightening for you, not to see what awaits you in my chamber. Am I right?” 

“N-no,” I say, mostly to be disagreeable, but I _am_ afraid. Deathly afraid. “What do you want from me? Tell me and I will do my best, but I don’t like playing games.”

“Games? Oh, Nekochan. I’m very serious. I’m not playing games with you.”

Somehow, those words frighten me even more, and my pulse skyrockets and my breath quickens in fear. A cold sweat breaks out all over my body. 

“Ah—I can sense your fear now—I can hear your breathing and even your racing little heart, and I can smell the scent of sweat. You smell delicious to me.”

Panic starts to rise.

“Rai is on his way back, and he will notice when I’m not there. He’s going to find you!”

“That’s the idea, sweetie. I waited until he left the room. I bided my time all morning. It seems you’re a changed kitten now, as of last night. Won’t Verg be jealous? Tell me, was it good? Did you enjoy it? Did you feel safe? Did you feel _loved_? Or did the white kitty lose himself?”

I don’t reply. I press my lips together, refusing to answer. However, I feel a strong, crushing grip on my jaw.

“I can _make_ you answer if you want to do things the _hard_ way, little one. It might even be a little more fun for me.”

Fun? What is he talking about?

“I-I-I e-enjoyed it. R-Rai was k-kind and g-gentle to m-me.” I stammer, trying to comply.

“Ho?” Froud asks. The blanket covering me is roughly pulled away, leaving me feeling exposed and naked—even in the darkness. My fur fluffs up in fear, and I pull my tail in front of myself, covering myself, but I still can’t see anything. I hear Froud giggle a little bit. “ _How_ gentle, I wonder?” 

I hear something that sounds like the wind—and a strong gust pushes back the hair from my face. Something is lifting my arms, which are currently propping me up in my sitting position. Whatever it is wraps itself around my arms and lifts them overhead—slowly but very firmly. I try to fight against these restraints but I cannot—I don’t stand a chance against them. They are too strong!

Panic now rises in my chest, and a frightened sound leaks from my mouth, along with a fierce growl, as my body is lifted off the floor—by whatever is restraining my arms. My arms are pulled slightly behind my body, making my shoulders crack painfully. 

“Ah—Stop!” I cry.

“Why? You said he was gentle with you, but I’ve known Shironeko longer than you have. I can’t imagine he was as gentle as you claim he was. I’d like to... confirm what you’ve said. You see, Chibineko,” Froud's hand brushes my cheek and chin again—and I can feel him breathing on my face now. “You see, I have a theory that cats _love_ to lie. It is a _constant_ source of irritation to me.”

Just now realizing how vulnerable I am—I cannot do _anything_ to protect myself—the fear in my chest becomes unbearable, and I scream. I scream Rai’s name, loudly, and I scream for help.

“Oya, oya—What a nice voice you have,” Froud says—and his hand moves away from me, I hear an extremely unpleasant sound, like a reptile shedding its skin—but when Froud’s hand touches me again, I realize he has only removed his gloves. “You may shout yourself hoarse if that makes you feel better. No one can hear you.”

His skin is freezing—ice cold—to the touch.

“Please!” I beg. “Please don’t hurt me!”

“Ah, your fur is all fluffy and agitated, so beautiful,” Froud admires. “I’d love to tell you that I am not going to hurt you. However, that would be a lie. And your fear makes it even more fun for me.” 

Fun? Does he like this?

“Why? Wh-what have I d-done to d-displease you? Please! Give me a chance to make it right!” 

“Oh, you’re about to be given a chance,” Froud assures me—and to my horror, I feel his ice-cold hands stroking my ass and tail.

“So soft! Ah—I have a tail, but not like yours. This is even softer than it looks—even softer than Shironeko's tail,” he runs his fingers through it, ruffling my fur the wrong way, moving his hands from the tip closer to the base. And his hands hover right at the base of my tail. My body stiffens immediately—that touch is so unpleasant—it makes me want to throw up. 

“Please,” I whisper. “Please don’t. Just—please—stop.”

“Ah—and now you’re begging me? I can hardly stand it. No wonder Shironekochan couldn’t help himself.”

I think Froud is standing behind me now—he’s much taller than me, and he can speak directly into my ears—and he freely presses his lips against my ears when he talks, which makes me flick them away. I keep struggling with the strange restraints—but it does no good. In fact, the more I struggle, the tighter the bonds become.

“Perhaps you should stop struggling quite so much. I’d hate for you to cut off circulation in your arms, my dear,” Froud runs a hand down the length of my arm, against my side. “You know, I have seen you naked before—in the dining room—when you stripped off everything to expose yourself so willingly to your ‘master,’ but I didn’t notice this.”

At the word “this,” he runs his hand down my waist and hip. So cold, his hand makes me shiver—and it’s such a creepy feeling. His claws are out, too, and that frightens me. It’s extremely unpleasant.

“You have a gorgeous waistline, Konoe. I thought perhaps it was just your petite little shape than attracted Shironekochan. But you actually have a nice little shape to you, don’t you? How could I have missed this? Perhaps because I was watching Shironekochan so closely. His reaction,” Froud giggles unpleasantly, which sends another shiver up my back and shoulders, “was just too perfect for words. I can’t even describe it!”

“Please,” I beg again. “What do you want with me?”

“Now—I appreciate your being so willing to help and obey, little darling. But I will _take_ exactly what I want from you. I don’t need your help.”

I feel his other hand—the one that isn’t currently caressing my waist—slipping between my cheeks and pressing against me, underneath my tail.

“Uh, please—no, don’t!” I almost cry out.

“Oh? Are you maybe a little sore after all? Even with the heat, it’s obvious there’s a large difference in size between you. I wondered if _that_ was what the white kitty found so fascinating. He was thinking, ‘I wonder, would I even fit in there?’”

I’m finding his dirty talk really unpleasant, and it makes me flick my ears down, trying to escape the words, whispered lowly into my ears, like an unwanted secret. But now, I feel that clawed finger prying at me, and I force my tail down, trying to push him away—panic is making me kick my legs around to get away from him.

“Oh, I can’t have that, now,” he snaps the fingers at my waist, and I feel another sharp wind. The restraints that are suspending my wrists above my head lift my feet up nearly off the floor, allowing just my toes touch, if I strain.

Another frightened sound falls from my lips, and I beg, “Please!”

“Don’t struggle so much. I can tell this isn’t your first time.” Then, I feel him drop to his knees behind me, and I freeze. Everything is so quiet in here—so dark—the only thing I can hear is my ragged breath and my heart. I can’t even hear him when he isn’t speaking. Is he dead? Perhaps he doesn’t have a heartbeat? He doesn’t breathe?

Then, from the region of my lower body, I can feel his breath against me—right at my tail, actually—unpleasantly, revoltingly.

“Your fear—it’s so intense. Konoe, I love it. Keep feeling that panic, would you? Would you beg me some more? Perhaps if you beg me _just_ enough, I will stop.”

I don’t know what to do—I remain frozen—realizing I taste blood in my mouth. I’ve bitten the inside of my cheek to keep quiet without realizing it. I feel tears slipping down my face. And then—I feel both his hands on my ass, spreading me apart. He grabs my tail with one hand—yanking it painfully, pulling a pained grunt from my throat, though I have promised myself I won’t cry out.

What is he doing down there? What the fuck is he doing?

“I already _told_ you. I said I didn’t believe you when you said Shironeko was gentle. He doesn’t _know_ ‘gentle.’ He doesn't understand the word. It’s not in his _nature_. I am checking to see if you told me the truth—and let me tell you—I can tell he was here. I smell him on you. I smell him _all over you_. Tell me, Nekochan. Do you like the feeling? Do you like the feeling of carrying something of Shironeko with you all day—something that smells so strongly of his scent? Does it make you feel good? Does it make you feel loved? Even when it, perhaps, drips down a little, here?”

I feel an incredibly unpleasant sensation—like an icicle being pressed right at my entrance and then dragged down my legs. It sends a chill up my spine again—and not just because of the temperature. 

“Please!” I sob. “Please stop this!”

“Oh ho? Tears? Have I made you cry? Already? Even though I have barely even touched you yet?”

Yet? What does he mean? He has been touching me! Does he mean he’s going to—and my brain seizes to function, saving me from my own thoughts—saving me from what is to come. My breathing gets much louder, and I start to hyperventilate.

However, almost as though he has read my thoughts, Froud says, “Oh yes. I plan to touch you—even more. I think Shironekochan would expect nothing less. But it isn’t for his sake, you see. It’s to pay the debt you _owe_ me. _You_ , in fact, owe me. Do I need to remind you?”

I do not want this. I cannot do this—not with him. I remember briefly how wonderful it was to be in Rai’s arms last night—how I willingly submitted to his touch—but my brain can’t—no, it _won’t_ —process what it would be like to be fucked by this monster. Not like this. It’s saving me from myself.

My brain starts to race—and I feel something else at my entrance that is not a finger—it feels like… a nose? A face? Oh, my gods.

“Please—stop this!” I beg, more tears falling, my humiliation at its worst since I’ve been here. What is he doing?

“I can smell him here—still inside you. I wonder—can I taste it?” It’s like he’s in his own world, talking to himself.

Is there anything I can do to stop this? Make this better? I realize that with every touch—it isn’t just the touch that is unpleasant—Froud is not my master. My body is starting to suffer the consequences of the incubus bite because I’m with someone other than Rai. Even if I’m forced—like I was with Verg and Igaryx—my body becomes painfully aroused. And that’s the _last_ thing I want right now. What if Froud thinks it’s because I enjoy his touch? I am so frightened I can hardly think about it, but still—my body is responding and I feel the bite on my leg burning.

“No—please—I will do anything else—won’t you beat me instead, like Razel does?”

Froud pulls away from me for a moment.

“You’re actually asking me to beat you instead of this?” Froud asks, stroking my tail.

“Please. I would rather—suffer a whipping, a caning, anything—” but he won’t let me finish.

“Ah—then you see, that makes this _so_ much better for me. Why don’t you think about how much better a whipping would be while I do this?” Froud’s silky voice floats from behind my shoulders around my legs, where it definitely does  _not_ belong.

I feel something enter me then—it isn’t a finger and it doesn’t hurt, not at first—but I don’t know what it is. It’s freezing cold. Then—I feel lips—right on the outside of my asshole. His tongue? Is he licking me?

Another revolting shiver rushes through my body, rattling my stomach violently.

“Froud—I’m—I’m going to be sick! Please! Please stop!”

“Go right ahead,” he speaks with his lips pressed against me—and his voice vibrates inside my body. It’s disgusting. And the fact that he is… he is _tasting_ Rai—that’s wrong. It’s in _my_ body, but more importantly (this must be the incubus bite talking, I realize later), Rai is _my_ master. He has no right to what is inside of me.

“Get off of me!” I yell. I can’t fight, but I yell. My tail lashes violently, and it does nothing to discourage him. His tongue is… long. It’s forked, I think. I can tell it’s forked, even though it’s inside my ass right now. I am still very sensitive.

“And you, Chibinekochan, you _lied_ to me.” He sounds self-satisfied. “Tell me, why is it so important to lie—to your race? Wouldn’t you be happier if you lived a little bit more true to your desires? Why would it be such a bad thing for the silver cat to take you violently?”

“He didn’t!”

“Oh, but he did. You’re swollen and sore inside. Want me to demonstrate?”

“No!”

“Ah, but now I _have_ to show you,” Froud says with a laugh, and I feel a finger pressing at my entrance again. I want to push him away—I want him away from me—and I scream when that single finger enters me. It hurts! 

“See? A lie. Why was it so important that he take you gently? You love him, don’t you? In fact, if he wanted to tie you up, frighten you, and violently rape you, just as I am going to do, wouldn’t you _let_ him do as he liked? Whether it’s from Verg’s incubus or no? You _love_ that white kitty, don’t you?”

“Please,” I’m sobbing. He is hurting me—and it’s only one finger. It feels like he is dragging his claw inside me, scraping down my inner walls and at my entrance, which, if it wasn’t red and swollen before, most certainly is now. 

“Plus, to me, it looks like your ass is a little red, too. Did he spank you?” 

What? How could he possibly know that? I’m unable to breathe for a moment. Didn’t Rai say my skin heals quite quickly? When was that—when was it that he punished me? He punished me because I said I _wanted_ it, I deserved it—and I _loved_ it. But I didn’t know I stayed red. 

“Is it quite possible that you _enjoy_ a little bit of pain with your pleasure, Nekochan?” Froud asks, his voice silky.

“Stop,” I whisper. He pulls the finger out of me and I breathe out heavily, realizing suddenly that my own breath is being reflected back against my face. What is this? Is something in front of me? It wasn’t there a moment ago.

“Nekochan,” my fur fluffs up in surprise—Froud is _right_ there in front of me, and I didn’t even sense him moving. I felt his finger leave inside me, and he’s still gripping my tail. He’s moved around to my front and is facing me—right at eye level. He scared the shit out of me, and I almost scream in terror. 

“Hah, can you _still_ not see in the dark? How like Shui you are! I’d heard as much—but you _still_ can’t see? It’s like you’re not really a cat at all. You’re much more human than a cat.”  
  
Human? What is that? Does he mean Two-Cane?

“I do—I mean Two-Cane, those useless gods you worship. They were liars just like you. They ruined the earth, just as you have—before Leaks interfered at least.”  
  
“Weren’t you one of them?” I ask timidly.

“At one point, I may have been, but that was thousands of years ago. I am no longer human. And I am not Ribika. Although, I remember I _loved_ cats when I was young. I only tortured them sometimes. I'm thrilled to have another chance to do it again now.”

I feel something against my cheek. Again—it’s that slim, forked tongue. I don’t have to see to know that it’s black and it’s forked, just like a snake’s. Froud is licking the tears from my face. What the hell is this?  
  
“Ah—your tears—they taste so sweet. Usually, tears are slightly bitter, but you’re still such an innocent. Yours are sweet. Delicious.” He moves his tongue to touch my eye directly. “Perhaps… I wonder… what do you think Shironekochan would do if I took this eyeball of yours?”

Panic floods into my body, and I squeeze my eyes closed. But that slim forked tongue easily slips in between my closed eyelid, and I feel it brushing gently—tenderly, almost—against the surface of my eye. My heart is beating so fast and loud—thumping erratically in my ears—I’m afraid it might stop. Is he going to eat or injure my eye? Why? What have I done to him?

“It would be fitting revenge, wouldn’t it?”

I can’t bring myself to speak—and I’m so afraid a small scream escapes my lips when he releases me. When I open my eyes, I still can’t see, but there’s a film over my eye where he’s been licking me. What is this stuff? His saliva almost makes me feel… numb.

Froud is directly in front of me—and for the first time—I see just the glint off his pale skin below his mask. His teeth? He is smiling.

“Look at me, Konoe-kun. I want to see that fear. I can smell it, hear it, taste it—now, I want to _feel_ it, too.”

“No—please—don’t do this—he will _kill_ you!”

“I’d love it if he tried!” Froud says, and a cold, cold hand reaches down and grabs my dick, which is soft now—I was so afraid of losing my eye that even the incubus bite couldn’t keep it up that long. I’m somewhat relieved. “Oh? Have I frightened you that much? I’d have thought the incubus would be on my side here.”

“I’m bonded to my master,” the words come out of my lips almost automatically. “I will only suffer if you touch me.”

“Oh, don’t you think I _know_ that, darling?” I see those teeth glinting again. “Let’s see if we can make you feel good…”

That hand—cold like death—starts stroking me—and his face is right next to mine—it’s so awful and awkward. Again, I feel the bile rising in my throat. I do not want this.

“Please, I don’t want—”

“Darling, please, keep telling me what you don’t want. I love to hear it. Maybe beg some more, too. I love to hear that, too.”

Froud is evil—devils are evil—but Froud is truly the _worst_ of them. Why is he doing this?

Yet—if my body is touched like this—and Froud seems to know what he is doing—my body starts to respond, and painfully so. I cannot be touching him. A flash in my mind now—is this what he did to the young Rai, too? Horror. Pure _horror_. 

“Please!”

“Please what?” Froud whispers in my ear, biting the tip gently. “Please more? Is that what you’re begging me for? Your voice—like your tears—so sweet and innocent. I don’t understand how this can be, since you _aren’t_ that innocent young thing you were when you arrived, after all. Perhaps your heart is just so pure? Being able to touch you like this is _heavenly_ to me. You don't feel at _all_ like Shironekochan did.”

I feel the restraints give way on my wrists again—my wrists sliding together—and my body twirls around, so I am now facing away from Froud. I feel rustling of clothing and fear—so much fear climbs up in my throat.

“Stop this! No—please don’t!” I can’t keep myself from begging. Somewhere deep inside of me, I think there must be a part of Froud I can reach with my voice. It doesn’t occur to me till later that perhaps there is a type of person who loves to hear begging and pleading and is actually spurred on by such things. If I had just kept quiet, would it have had a different outcome?

Something is pressing against me—and I feel the devil spreading my cheeks apart. Then, he is pushing at my entrance—and I scream when it enters me—all in one single swift movement—a tearing, painful movement. I feel like I’m being split in half—it’s such a different experience than last night—I feel like I am being torn in half—and not just my body, but my heart as well.

Almost as though I’m being flayed open—turned inside out—that’s the type of raw pain this is. It feels both hot and cold at the same time, and I am screaming my lungs out, and I hear Froud growling in pleasure behind me—and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep my voice down. 

“Bite me instead, sweet thing,” and he shoves a finger inside my mouth to keep me from biting my cheek. I also feel his tongue in my ear. With his tongue in my ear, his finger in my mouth, and his dick in my ass—I’m being fucked in three different places on my body, and I want _none_ of it. I asked for none of this, and I'm pleading for mercy.

But in my mouth—I have teeth. I bite down hard, and something flows from Froud’s finger inside of my mouth—it’s _bitter_ —it isn’t blood. I want to spit it out, but the way he is restraining my neck makes it hard for me to do this. I end up swallowing some. I realize—there is something evil inside of him—flowing inside of him—that is now flowing within me.

“There’s a good kitty,” Froud purrs from behind me, as he’s thrusting violently into me.

The bite has connected us. I can feel my own pain and also his pleasure with my pain. The more pain I experience, the more pleasure he feels—and then the more pleasure _I_ in turn feel. It’s really fucked up. My leg is throbbing—and my dick is hard and leaking now—from _Froud’s_ pleasure, not even from the result of the bite. My body is in terrible shape—I feel something dripping down the inside of my thighs and I smell it—it’s blood. And I feel Froud’s pleasure from this—he _loves_ the smell of blood. When I bite Froud’s finger, he feels pain and pleasure from it. If I don’t stop—if I can’t get away from this—he will rape me until I’m no longer breathing. _That_ is his desire. He wants to _kill_ me—he gets pleasure not just from pain, but from bringing me up to the edge of death and dropping me off the edge.

How can I stop this?

I relax my jaw, deliberately, and I feel Froud’s confusion. Almost as if he wants to say, “What is he doing?”

I close my eyes again—trying to ignore the extreme pain—and I look for that other cliff I found with Rai—that unending, bottomless well that was filled with song. I’m going to _call_ him. I have to call him. It may be a bloodbath, but if I don’t get help, I will _die_ here. And I’m not ready for that.

“What are you doing, Nekochan?” Froud asks, licking my neck. “You feel so good, you know. You are small, compact, and tight—so willing and obedient for me. Such a good kitty.” 

It’s the last thing I want to hear right now from the man who is fucking me—raping me—making blood drip down to my ankles. And so I tune out his voice and I bring Rai’s face to my mind.

“Oy!” Froud says, as though he can read my thoughts. He has been reading my thoughts, I realize then.

Inside my body, I reach deep within me and let myself tumble into that bottomless well—hoping for the best—calling out in the best cry I can possibly make—and a warm light fills me up, starting in the core of my body.

“What is this?” Froud is bewildered at first—and then has to slow down his rapid thrusting. My body is lit by a warm, white light.

I’m calling him—I’m calling the silver cat—I’m calling out to Rai with every fiber of my being. _Come_ to me—help me—save me—I need you—I’m afraid!

And my song rings out louder than it ever has before. I’m even a little surprised at the volume.

“You've found your song, have you?” Froud has stopped and pulls his chest away from me slightly. “Don’t think _that_ will save you. You have to have your partner here for any of this to work, you know—”

And that’s when I see the door break open—and I see my silver cat—my Touga—Rai—is standing there. His hair is a wild mess, he’s obviously been searching the castle for me, and he _found_ me.

I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life.

“Rai,” I whisper. 

And Froud realizes he is still inside me at this point. I feel his realization and Froud's fear.

“Konoe— _sing_!” Rai yells, drawing his sword.

I obey—and my song is one of relief, one of joy, one of thankfulness to see my cat again. And—one of _protection_. Froud hates Rai. The only reason I was targeted is because of Froud’s hatred of him.

I hear the wet thick sound of a sword slicing through flesh, and I lose consciousness shortly after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a great place to end this part. Part II is now at a close. Part III is coming soon.
> 
> If you skipped this chapter:
> 
> Konoe wakes up feeling relaxed and comfortable in Rai's arms but starving. Rai has waited till Konoe wakes to go get him some breakfast--he didn't want Konoe to wake up alone. What a nice guy! 
> 
> But the moment Rai leaves, there's a knock at the door. Konoe thinks Rai has forgotten something, but it turns out it's Froud, come to collect Konoe's "debt." The debt he's referring to is when he promised Froud he'd do anything to know what Rai wanted that one evening in the dining room, just before he stripped down to nothing.
> 
> Froud takes him away to his dark, dungeon of a room, spends some time terrorizing him in the way only Froud can, and then rapes him. For real. It's horrible.
> 
> Konoe ends up biting him, realizing that he will be killed if he doesn't do something--and he finds his song and uses it to call Rai--who, of course, shows up. Konoe passes out to the sound of a sword slicing through flesh.
> 
> Frankly, I haven't yet decided if Froud is dead or not. In any case, he is severely injured, and for sure, he deserves to die. I think he's probably dead, but we don't know yet. I kinda want him dead. What do you guys think?
> 
> Great place to stop part II.
> 
> Hopefully, Leaks won't have a shit.


End file.
